Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 5Used Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Purāṇacīvara
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Explanation of the Purāṇacīvara Sutta (Old Robes)
Background
The Purāṇacīvara Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition, specifically the Pāṭimokkha, the basic code, for bhikkhunīs, female renunciants. This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya collections of Theravāda Buddhist schools and states clearly the rules concerning the use of old robes by female members of the Sangha.
The historical formation of the Vinaya Piṭaka is connected with the Buddha Śākyamuni’s establishment of rules for the life of the Sangha community. Each regulation did not arise from abstract dogma, but from specific situations that occurred in the Sangha. The Purāṇacīvara Sutta is one of the detailed regulations concerning material property of female renunciants, intended to maintain purity, simplicity, and the avoidance of disputes over ownership.
In the social context of ancient India, where clothing was not easy to obtain, regulating the use of old robes became extremely important. This reflects the practical and applied nature of monastic life, not lofty ideals impossible to carry out.
Main Content
The Purāṇacīvara Sutta regulates the way female renunciants possess and use old robes (purāṇacīvara). According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, old robes are understood as pieces of cloth or garments that have already been used and are no longer new. The sutta states clearly that female members of the Sangha may receive and use old robes, but must observe certain conditions.
Specifically, the rules concerning purāṇacīvara include: the conditions for receiving old robes from faithful donors, the method of determining the "old" nature of a robe, perhaps based on years of use or physical condition, the procedure for informing the Sangha when an old robe is received, and restrictions against accumulating too many robes. In particular, the sutta provides that female renunciants must not compete for or seize the robes of others, whether old or new.
The Vinaya Piṭaka also provides that the use of old robes must follow the principle of purity in property: female members of the Sangha may keep only what is necessary for the life of practice and must not accumulate out of desire.
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