Bi Np 2626. Taking back robe-cloth in anger

Source Status

This item has been composed as an AI interpretation based on the supplied descriptive information: the Theravada tradition of the Pali Canon, the Vinaya Pitaka, number Bi Np 26, the Vietnamese title “Taking Back Robe-Cloth in Anger,” the Pali title “Cīvaraacchindana,” and the summary stating that a bhikkhuni gave robe-cloth to another bhikkhuni and then, out of anger, demanded it back, so she had to forfeit that robe-cloth and confess. Although the data contains a source URL, the content here does not confirm that the full text has been directly checked. Therefore, this interpretation should not be regarded as a translation of the original Vinaya text, nor used in place of a verified Vinaya source.

The truncated ending of the Vietnamese text shows that the previous style emphasized discipline, the psychology of anger, forfeiture of the offending item, and confession. However, specific details about the occasion for the rule, the persons involved, the original wording of the declaration, or the full procedure are not present in the descriptive information. Therefore, the statements below remain only at the level that can be inferred from the title, number, and summary.

Context

In monastic life, robes are not merely articles for covering the body, but also symbols of renunciation, contentment, and reliance on discipline. When robe-cloth is given between monastics, it should be seen as an intentional act connected with relinquishment and mutual support within the community of practice. Once it has been given, the giver’s mind should depart from the notion of ownership; if one then takes it back in anger, that action harms both the recipient and the quality of renunciation in the giver.

The number Bi Np 26 indicates that this is a rule for bhikkhunis, belonging to a group that involves forfeiture of the item connected with the offense and confession. The descriptive information does not permit further determination of the historical context or origin story, but the title and summary are enough to show that the focus lies in the relationship among material goods, anger, and responsibility under the discipline.

Content Identifiable from the Descriptive Information

What can be identified is this: a bhikkhuni gave robe-cloth to another bhikkhuni. Later, because of anger, she demanded or took back what had been given. This action constitutes an offense to be dealt with in two aspects: forfeiting the robe-cloth connected with the offense and confessing. This is not merely a property dispute in the ordinary sense, because in the Vinaya framework the requisites of monastics are always connected with mental conduct and the quality of communal living.

The content also shows that the fault does not lie in possessing robe-cloth in itself, but in taking back what has already been given, especially when the motive is stated as anger. Anger causes the initial act of giving or sharing to lose its purity. The offender must not only relinquish the object but also acknowledge the fault, because the fault belongs both to the outward action and to the inward mental state.

From the truncated ending, it can be seen that the earlier interpretation placed this rule in relation to greed, anger, and delusion. That understanding is suitable at a general level: taking back in anger expresses clinging to what has been given and disharmony toward the recipient. However, it should not be expanded into specific circumstances beyond the data.

Meaning for Practice

This rule reminds the practitioner that giving and sharing are not complete if the mind afterwards still clings to what has been given. In monastic life, the simpler the material goods, the more carefully clinging must be examined. A piece of robe-cloth may be small in material value, but if it becomes an object of anger, dispute, and demand, it has become a condition that diminishes virtue.

In terms of practice, what matters is recognizing the moment when the mind turns from wholesome intention to irritation. When one gives with a generous mind, one is practicing relinquishment. When one takes back out of anger, one is moving in the opposite direction. Therefore, forfeiting the item and confessing are not merely formal procedures, but means of bringing the mind back to honesty: seeing the fault, relinquishing the object of attachment, and restoring harmony.

This also has meaning for the community. A Sangha or community of bhikkhunis cannot be peaceful if requisites are given and received and then pulled back according to passing emotions. The discipline sets clear boundaries so that relationships are not governed by resentment. When these boundaries are respected, the recipient is protected from insecurity, the giver is reminded of the responsibility of giving, and the community is preserved in trust.

Collation Note

Because the full source text has not been checked, one should avoid making further claims about the occasion for the rule, the original words spoken, the quorum or witnesses involved in confession, or ritual details. It can be firmly noted from the descriptive information that this is Bi Np 26 in the Pali Vinaya, connected with taking back robe-cloth previously given in anger, with the consequence of forfeiture and confession. When using this item for study, it should be treated as an orienting interpretation, while scholarly or legal citation should return to the verified source text.