San Mg Bu Pm Np 28Haste-Cloth

Exposition of the Accekacīvara Sutta (The Single Robe Sutta)

Background

The Accekacīvara Sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Nipāta section of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the situational rules for Buddhist nuns. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of detailed guidelines concerning the daily life, conduct, and management of property within the monastic community of monks and nuns in the Theravāda tradition.

The term “accekacīvara” may be analyzed as “acceka” (single, alone) and “cīvara” (robe, cloth). This sutta concerns the rule on the management and use of material property by nuns, especially monastic robes. These are not profound teachings on philosophy, but practical disciplinary rules that help the monastic community maintain order, avoid disputes, and cultivate the spirit of renunciation and restraint.

The Vinaya Piṭaka developed out of specific stories concerning disputes or abuses in the early Sangha. When a problem arose, the Buddha would establish rules to prevent it from recurring. Therefore, each rule in the Vinaya has a clear historical context and educational purpose.

Main Content

The Accekacīvara Sutta lays down the rule for the situation in which a nun possesses only one robe or set of robes. This rule defines the conditions and limitations concerning the possession, use, and handling of such property. In particular, if a nun has only one set of monastic robes, what rules are to be applied in order to protect her rights, prevent abuse by others, and ensure that she is not discriminated against?

This rule also addresses the responsibility of the Sangha in managing communal property and protecting vulnerable members. It emphasizes that although monastic life values renunciation, the requisites necessary for survival and practice must be ensured fairly. A monastic should not be oppressed or deprived of the minimum necessities because of the greed or negligence of other members of the Sangha.