Bi Pc 2929. Letting the robe season expire
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kālaatikkamana
A nun who hinders the distribution of robe-cloth without a proper reason must confess the offense.
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Commentary on the Bhikkhunī Pācittiya 29: Letting the Robe Season Expire
Background
This rule appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of rules for bhikkhunīs). The Pāli title "Kālaatikkamana" means "letting the time pass" or "exceeding the appointed period." This context arises from rules governing communal property within the Buddhist monastic community, where robes and robe-cloth are basic necessities allocated equitably during certain seasons of the year.
In the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, the Buddha established specific seasons for the distribution of robes to bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, in order to ensure fairness and order within the monastic community. These rules are built upon the principles of non-greed, respect for communal property, and adherence to collective discipline. If someone were to deliberately obstruct or delay the distribution of robe-cloth without a valid reason, this is regarded as a breach of the ethics and customs of the community.
Main Content
This rule stipulates that a bhikkhunī must not obstruct, delay, or deliberately create difficulties in the distribution of robe-cloth (kāya-cīvaraṁ) during the appointed period. The "robe season" (kāya-cīvara-kāla) generally takes place at a specific time of year, when the community gathers various cloths and carries out the equitable distribution among all its members.
If a bhikkhunī deliberately obstructs this process without a valid reason (ananuvahinta) — for example, by refusing to participate, concealing property, or contriving pretexts for delay — she has committed a pācittiya offense, which requires confession. A pācittiya is a class of offense that calls for public or private acknowledgment before one or more other bhikkhunīs.
The reason for this rule is not merely administrative but is also spiritually profound. It reflects the principle of non-covetousness (anabhijjhā) — freedom from greed and from seeking to retain property for oneself.
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