San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Pc 26Giving Robes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaradāna
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DISCOURSE ON GIVING MONASTIC ROBES (Cīvaradāna)
Background
The Discourse on Giving Monastic Robes belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravada tradition, a core part of the Pali Canon. The Vinaya Piṭaka does not merely prescribe prohibitions, but also gives guidance for living according to the ethics and social customs of the monastic community.
This discourse records a specific situation in the life of the Buddha and his disciples, concerning the issue of distributing robes (cīvara, robe cloth). In the early Buddhist monastic tradition, the robe was not merely clothing, but also carried the symbolic meaning of renunciation, simplicity, and distinction from householders. The manner of distributing, using, and caring for robes reflects the practitioner's attitude toward material things and toward communal discipline.
Main Content
The Vinaya Piṭaka records that the Buddha established specific regulations concerning the clothing of monastics. The Discourse on Giving Monastic Robes deals with cases in which monastics receive robes from laypeople or from the monastic community, as well as disputes that may arise from the distribution and use of robes.
In the early community, robes were either communal property or limited personal property. This led to questions: who has the right to distribute robes? May a monk refuse to receive a robe? Is there any difference between receiving robes from different devoted donors?
This discourse is also related to the principle of not accumulating possessions beyond one's needs. Early Buddhism emphasizes that monastics should own only what is necessary for the life of practice: robes, bowl, belt, needle, and water strainer for drinking. Accumulating more clothing than needed violates the spirit of simplicity.
Practical Meaning
The Discourse on Giving Monastic Robes teaches us that material property, even something as small as clothing, must be managed transparently and fairly.
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