San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Pc 67Hiding Robes

SCRIPTURE ON HIDING ROBES (Cīvaraapanidhāna)

Background

The Scripture on Hiding Robes (Cīvaraapanidhāna) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, an essential part of the Pāli Canon. It belongs among the regulations concerning the use of Saṅgha communal property, particularly requisites used in practice such as robes (cīvara — the robes worn by those who have gone forth).

The circumstances giving rise to this scripture involve instances in which certain monastics failed to respect the regulations governing the communal property of the Saṅgha. They sought to hide and conceal robes in order to avoid equitable sharing, or to keep for themselves property that had been offered to the community as a whole. This constitutes a violation of the principle of Saṅghakamma (the formal acts of the Saṅgha) and of the spirit of sharing and non-private-ownership within the Buddhist Sangha.

Main Content

The regulation concerning the hiding of robes is designated as a Pācittiya offense (requiring confession and expiation). Specifically, if a monastic who has previously offered robes to the Saṅgha subsequently seeks to hide, conceal, or set them aside for personal use without the knowledge or participation of the community, such conduct is considered a transgression.

This behavior includes concealing robes in hidden places, transferring them to outsiders, or any form of action aimed at preventing the community from having access to them. The foundational principle here is this: once property has been offered to the Saṅgha (Saṅghadeyya), it no longer belongs to the individual but is communal property, to be managed and used in accordance with the regulations of the Saṅgha.

This violation reflects greed and the craving for possession (taṇhā) — one of the chief conditions giving rise to suffering. It also stands in contradiction to the three essential qualities of genuine offering: that it be given voluntarily, without expectation, and for the benefit of all.