San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 67Hiding Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraapanidhāna
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The Cīvara Apanidhāna Text (Hiding Robes)
Background
The Cīvara Apanidhāna text (Cīvaraapanidhāna) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and is part of the regulations concerning the clothing of monks and nuns. In the context of the early Sangha, the management of communal property, especially robes (cīvara), was a practical matter that needed clear regulation.
Bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs were not to possess much personal property. When necessary items were provided or offered, the way of hiding or keeping these items had to conform to the discipline in order to avoid attachment, dispute, or the arising of unwholesome states of mind. This text concerns improper actions related to hiding robes.
Main Content
According to the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, the issue of hiding robes was raised because some bhikkhus acted without transparency: they hid robes, or accumulated them indiscriminately, thereby creating disadvantages for the Sangha or harming the spirit of practice among other members.
The Buddha established the rule that the necessary requisites of a bhikkhu (paccaya) must be managed openly and transparently. Robes are not purely private items, but are property of the Sangha, or are offered to a particular person while still needing to conform to the spirit of non-attachment. Hiding or secretly storing such items is considered careless conduct and can lead to dispute and division in the Sangha.
The rule states that bhikkhus are not permitted to hide robes for the purpose of personal possession or to avoid sharing them with others who need them. If there are items truly in excess or unsuitable for the recipient, they must be handled through the Sangha’s formal procedure, not secretly hidden at one’s own discretion.
Practical Meaning
This text reflects a profound principle in Theravāda Buddhism: transparency and non-attachment are the foundation of healthy Sangha life.
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