Bi Pc 2626. Hindering robe-cloth for the community
Pāli / Sanskrit:Gaṇacīvara
A nun who hinders an order of nuns from receiving robe-cloth must confess the offense.
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Gaṇacīvara: The Offense of Hindering Robe-Cloth for the Community
Background
The Gaṇacīvara rule (Hindering robe-cloth for the community) belongs to the Bhikkhuṇī Pātimokkha — the code of discipline for nuns in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is one of the detailed regulations concerning the sharing and use of robes — the common property of the monastic community.
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, the training rules are not arbitrary restrictions, but rather guidelines grounded in specific events that arose in the course of the Buddha's teaching. This rule emerged from situations in which nuns, out of greed or jealousy, obstructed a community of nuns from receiving robe-cloth offered in faith by lay supporters. Such conduct causes division within the community, undermines harmony (samaggī), and damages the confidence of those who made the offering in good faith.
This historical background reveals the Buddha's deep concern with upholding the principles of mutual support and fairness within the Saṅgha, particularly with regard to the sharing of communal property.
Main Content
The Gaṇacīvara offense occurs when a nun intentionally obstructs a community of nuns (a group of nuns constituting a legal assembly) from receiving robe-cloth that has been offered. This includes such actions as persuading lay supporters not to make the offering, causing disruption during the distribution, or declaring that the other nuns are unworthy of receiving the robes.
Such conduct is classified as a Pācittiya offense, a class of transgression that requires confession and expiation before the community of nuns. This act of acknowledgment and expiation is not merely an administrative penalty, but an educational opportunity intended to help the offending nun recognize the gravity of her action, learn from her mistake, and restore her relationship with the community.
A point worthy of note is that the Pātimokkha addresses not only violations of an overtly harmful nature, but also those of a more subtle character — such as obstructing the legitimate rights of the community. This reflects the profound depth of the Vinaya Piṭaka in safeguarding ethical values and communal equity.
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