Bu Np 1111. Making a blanket with silk
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kosiya
A monk who makes a blanket containing silk must relinquish it and confess the offense.
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Commentary on the Kosiya Rule (Bu Np 11)
Background
The Kosiya rule belongs to the Nisaggiya Pācittiya section (rules entailing forfeiture) of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition, which constitutes the detailed code of discipline for the Buddhist Saṅgha. The Nisaggiya section records offenses for which, upon transgression, a bhikkhu must actively relinquish the prohibited object and confess the offense before the Saṅgha in order to be purified.
The Kosiya rule (kosiya being the Pāli word for silk) arose from the need to settle disputes within the Saṅgha concerning the use of silk in monastic robes. During the time of the Buddha, the tendency toward luxury goods threatened the renunciant way of life (pabbajjā) of the bhikkhus, and so he established clear regulations to protect the purity and discipline of the Saṅgha.
Main Content
The rule prescribes that if a bhikkhu has made a robe (kosambī) or any kind of cloth in which silk has been mixed into its composition, that bhikkhu commits an offense of Nisaggiya Pācittiya. This means the bhikkhu must voluntarily forfeit the article — that is, return it to the Saṅgha or to the one who provided it — and then confess the offense (āpatti) before at least one bhikkhu, or before the entire Saṅgha if the offense is of a more serious nature.
The reason for the prohibition is that silk is regarded as a luxurious material, far removed from the spirit of humility proper to monastic practice. Bhikkhus of old were permitted to use coarse fabrics (such as cotton or hemp) made from discarded scraps of cloth, so as to cultivate contentment with the barest necessities. Silk symbolizes attachment to the realm of sensual pleasure, in direct contradiction to the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha.
The rule also makes clear that this is an offense of "forfeiture" (nisaggiya), and not a mere "confession" offense (pācittiya) in the simple sense. This underscores the bhikkhu's active responsibility: not only must he confess the offense, but he must also return the material, thereby demonstrating his resolve to relinquish all that transgresses the code of discipline.
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