Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Np 16Haste-Cloth

Accekacīvara Sutra (Sutra on Hastily Made Cloth)

Background

Accekacīvara is a disciplinary rule in the Vinaya, specifically belonging to the Pātimokkha Nisaggiya Pācittiya section (rules concerning offenses that must be acknowledged and purified). This sutra appears in the context of early Buddhism, when monks began to act improperly in the making and use of robes (cīvara).

The word "acceka" means "hasty, impulsive," while "cīvara" is the robe used by monks. This rule was established by the Buddha to correct situations in which monks hastily made robes without following regulations concerning time or proper procedure. This reflects early Buddhism's concern for collective discipline and honesty in the ascetic way of life.

Main Content

According to the Pāli Vinaya, when a monk makes a robe hastily and not according to the prescribed procedure, such as not waiting for the full permitted time for the whole Sangha to participate or not giving complete notification, he commits a Nisaggiya Pācittiya offense. This is an offense requiring relinquishment (nisaggiya, that is, purification by giving up what has been held).

This rule is not merely a matter of timing. It expresses a profound principle: monks should not act greedily or hastily, especially in matters connected with property and the needs of the community. A robe is an essential need for an ascetic, but the manner of making it must follow collective and public principles, not an impulsive personal decision.

If a monk is judged to have committed this offense, the next step is to confess publicly before the Sangha, relinquish that robe, and only then is the process of purification (parisuddhi) completed.

Practical Meaning

The Accekacīvara Sutra teaches us that discipline is not only about formal compliance, but also about careful consideration and respect for the community.