San Lo Bu Pm Np 24Taking Back Robe-Cloth

The Cīvaraacchindana Scripture: Taking Back Robes

Background

The Cīvaraacchindana scripture belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition and is found among the regulations on the management of communal property and robes (cīvara) in the Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection that regulates the actions, speech, conduct, and discipline of those who have gone forth, in order to maintain the purity of the Sangha.

In the Theravāda tradition, the robe is not only clothing but also a symbol of renunciation, humility, and service to the Dharma. The issue of taking back robes arose from specific situations in the history of the monastic community during the Buddha's time, when certain renunciants violated the discipline or abandoned the training. This scripture regulates fair handling when it becomes necessary to take back robes that have been issued to monks.

Main Content

The Cīvaraacchindana scripture concerns specific rules on taking back robes from renunciants. This is an important legal matter because robes are among the basic requisites of a monk: the three robes, a bowl, and a belt.

This scripture teaches that taking back a robe can be done only under certain conditions and must follow the formal procedure of the Sangha. If a monk is expelled from the Sangha for violating grave rules, such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, or lying about spiritual attainments, that person's robe is taken back as a sign of the loss of standing as a monk.

This procedure is carried out through a formal meeting of the Sangha and must be conducted openly, not secretly or arbitrarily. This reflects the basic principles of the Sangha: fairness, transparency, and collective decision-making.

Practical Meaning

The Cīvaraacchindana scripture teaches us the importance of discipline in the community of practice. Though the robe is only a material object, it represents commitment to the Dharma and the Sangha.