Bi Np 2929. Storing haste-cloth too long
Pāli / Sanskrit:Accekacīvara
A nun who stores “an urgent robe” beyond the acceptable time limit must relinquish it and confess the offense.
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Accekacīvara: On Keeping Haste-Cloth Too Long
Background
The Accekacīvara belongs to the Pātimokkha of the Bhikkhunī Vinaya, specifically within the section on Nissaggiya Pācittiya—offenses that require the forfeiture of the object in question and the confession of the transgression. This rule arose from practical situations within the community of bhikkhunīs during the time of the Buddha.
A "haste-cloth" (accekacīvara) is a robe made in haste—typically stitched together quickly—because bhikkhunīs had an urgent need. In contrast to robes woven in the ordinary manner through the standard process, haste-cloth is permitted to be kept for a limited period of time. However, if a bhikkhunī keeps such a robe beyond the stipulated period—ordinarily ten days—she commits an offense involving material goods and monastic discipline.
The reason this rule was established is to prevent greed, to encourage non-attachment to material possessions, and to maintain order within the monastic community. In the Theravāda tradition, the management of a monastic's belongings is regarded as a mental training practice—not for the purpose of accumulating wealth, but to serve the needs of the spiritual path.
Main Content
According to the Pātimokkha, a bhikkhunī who keeps haste-cloth beyond the stipulated period must perform two actions: first, she must forfeit or relinquish that robe; second, she must confess the offense before the Sangha or before another bhikkhunī.
This offense is classified as Nissaggiya Pācittiya—that is, offenses requiring both "forfeiture of the object involved and confession of the transgression." This differs from offenses that require only confession (Pācittiya), or from more serious offenses that require multiple steps for reinstatement.
The conditions constituting the offense are clearly defined: first, the offender must be a fully ordained bhikkhunī; second, the robe must be haste-cloth (not another type of robe); third, the bhikkhunī must be clearly aware that she is exceeding the time limit; fourth, she must have kept it beyond ten days (or another time limit stipulated by the Sangha).
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