Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Np 25Taking Back Robe-Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraacchindana
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Explanation of the Cīvaraacchindana Sutta (Taking Back Monastic Garments)
Background
The Cīvaraacchindana Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the section prescribing discipline and modes of practice in the early Sangha. In the context of Theravāda Buddhism, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of dry prohibitions, but guidance arising from real situations in the course of disciples training under the Buddha.
The issue of “taking back monastic garments” (cīvara acchindana) arose from disputes over the ownership of monastic property, specifically robes (cīvara). In the Buddha’s time, monastics lived by the generosity of the community, but clear regulations were also needed to avoid disputes, jealousy, or infringement upon one another’s rights. This text records specific situations in which a monastic lost the opportunity to possess a robe or was deprived of a garment, and how the matter was to be handled fairly according to the principles of the Sangha.
Main Content
Cīvaraacchindana deals with legal questions within the Sangha: can a monastic take back his robe after he has relinquished it or been deprived of it? Under what circumstances is taking it back lawful according to the Vinaya?
The text prescribes that when a monastic assigns his robe to another monastic, or when the robe is given to another person through a Sangha procedure, any later taking back must follow certain conditions. If it is taken back without proper procedure, it may cause disharmony (saṅgha-bheda) and violate the spirit of harmonious communal life.
The central principles are clarity regarding ownership of property, transparency in transactions, and respect for the decision of the Sangha community. A monastic cannot arbitrarily take back property without notice or permission, because this violates the principle of loving-kindness (mettā) and disturbs the common peace.
Practical Meaning
The Cīvaraacchindana Sutta teaches us steadiness in matters of personal and communal property.
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