San Mg Bu Pm Np 14A New Blanket Should be Kept for Six Years
Pāli / Sanskrit:Chabbassa
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The Chabbassa Scripture: A New Undergarment and the Six-Year Rule
Background
The Chabbassa scripture (Chabbassa Suttanta) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the training rules for female monastics (bhikkhunī). This scripture reflects the practical context of the early practicing community, while the Buddha Gotama was still living, addressing real issues concerning the management of property and the use of monastic requisites.
The content of the scripture arose from a specific situation in which female monastics did not properly manage new undergarments, leading to waste and failure to conform to the spirit of humility. The Buddha, with compassionate and profound intention, set forth a clear regulation in order to balance care for the body with the virtue of modesty.
Main Content
The Chabbassa scripture prescribes that a new undergarment (antara-vāsaka) issued to a female monastic must be preserved and used for a minimum period of six years (chabbassa). This period is not arbitrary, but is based on the principle of endurance, an important virtue in Buddhism.
This regulation is intended to restrain the tendency to seek what is new and discard what is old, and to nourish gratitude for what one has received. When a female monastic receives a new undergarment, she must commit to using it fully for six years, unless it becomes damaged beyond repair. If she wishes to exchange it or give it to another person before the period has elapsed, she violates this rule.
The regulation does not apply only to undergarments but also extends to other monastic requisites. It reflects the Buddhist philosophy of self-mastery and non-attachment to material things. A true monastic should not chase after new objects, but should focus on spiritual cultivation.
Meaning for Practice
The Chabbassa scripture teaches us a profound lesson on gratitude (kataññutā) and self-mastery.
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