Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 27Haste-Cloth

Accekacīvara Sutta (Haste-Cloth) — Explanation

Background

The Accekacīvara Sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the discipline for nuns, or in rules connected with the community of monastics dwelling in quiet places. The background of this sutta is tied to rules concerning property and the use of requisites by those who have aroused the aspiration to go forth in the Theravāda tradition of Buddhadharma.

Accekacīvara in Pāli means "cloth for one occasion" or "urgent cloth." It is not an independent scripture but a legal rule, a sutta or adhikara, within the Pātimokkha, the collection of restrictive rules and norms that bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs must observe. These rules were proclaimed by the Buddha to protect the purity of the Sangha and support pure practice.

Main Content

The rule on Accekacīvara concerns the distribution and use of cloth for making kāṣāya robes (cīvara) for those gone forth. Specifically, the sutta provides that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī must not accumulate cloth or hastily make robes without attestation or lawful support from the Sangha.

If a monastic takes cloth hastily or in a way not in accordance with the rules, this is regarded as an action connected with a disciplinary fault. This rule is intended to ensure that the use of common property of the Sangha takes place in an orderly, fair, and supervised manner, avoiding greedy or arbitrary actions.

The emphasis of the sutta is on what is "timely" and "appropriate" in the actions of a practitioner. Every decision related to personal or common property must be made with consideration, not hastily, and without attachment. This reflects one of the basic teachings of the Buddhadharma: the balance between personal need and responsibility to the community.

Practical Meaning

The Accekacīvara Sutta teaches us the importance of proper conduct and reasonable management of property.