Pgd Pm Bf13 Np 5Receiving Robe Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvarapaṭiggahana
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Explanation of the Cīvarapaṭiggahana Sutta (The Sutta on Receiving Robe Cloth)
Background
The Cīvarapaṭiggahana Sutta is presented in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section, prohibitions whose violation requires confession and forfeiture of the related item. This is not a Dharma discourse on transcendent concentration and wisdom, but a practical rule concerning the management of property by bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in the Sangha community.
In the Buddha’s time, bhikkhus lived in a spirit of austerity, were not permitted to own personal wealth, and received only the most necessary items. The robe (cīvara) is one of the most basic requisites for covering the body, especially in the climate of India. However, the receiving of robes itself also had to follow specific prohibitive rules in order to avoid attachment to material things and maintain the spirit of practice.
Main Content
The Cīvarapaṭiggahana Sutta clearly prescribes the official conditions and methods by which a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī may receive robe cloth from faithful donors or from the Sangha community. The key point is that the time for receiving robes must fall within prescribed periods, usually during the season (vassavāsa), that is, on specific occasions in the year of practice, and they may not be received arbitrarily at any time.
If a bhikkhu receives robes outside the permitted periods, or if there is deceit in the process of receiving, such as not clearly informing the community, then this is a Nissaggiya Pācittiya offense, a breach of discipline for which the person must confess before the community and forfeit that robe. This act of forfeiture is not merely formal, but expresses acceptance of the fault and determination to correct oneself.
This rule also includes details such as: who has the authority to distribute robes, how to ensure transparency, and which exceptional cases are permitted. All of this aims to maintain the purity of the Sangha and avoid conflict or greed in the management of common property.
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