San Lo Bi Vb Np 24Taking Back Robe-Cloth
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraacchindana
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The Text on Taking Back Robe-Cloth — Cīvaraacchindana
Background
The Cīvaraacchindana text (Taking Back Robe-Cloth) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section, offenses for which a renunciant must relinquish the object when confessing. These are detailed regulations in the Pātimokkha, the broken-seven discipline, of the Theravāda tradition, compiled from the time when the Buddha was still alive.
The historical background of this regulation arose from concrete events in the life of the Buddha. As Buddhism developed, monastics lived together as a community (Sangha). Robes were not only everyday items, but also symbols of practice, expressing the renunciation of possessions by one gone forth. Therefore, regulations concerning the handling of robes in the Vinaya Piṭaka receive great attention, because they relate directly to the ethical integrity (sīla) of monastics.
This text was recorded by the Buddha through a specific situation in which monastics violated proper handling of their own robes or those of others. The regulation on "taking back robe-cloth" reflects the principle that if there is a violation related to material property, the offender must know how to correct it properly.
Main Content
In the Nissaggiya Pācittiya, the regulation on taking back robe-cloth states that if a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has given a robe to someone else, whether a fellow monastic or someone outside the tradition, and later wishes to take it back, certain conditions must be followed. If one takes it back without following the proper Sangha procedure or takes it back in a way inconsistent with the discipline, one commits a Nissaggiya Pācittiya offense, meaning that the related object must be relinquished and confession made before the whole Sangha.
The text details specific cases: when it is permissible to take back robe-cloth, when it is not, and whether the conditions for taking it back require the consent of the Sangha or of the individual. It also refers to the distinction between "taking back in accordance with the Dharma" (yathādhamma) and "taking back improperly." This reflects a balance: the discipline does not absolutely forbid it, but requires purity and respect for the community.
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