Bu Np 1414. Keeping a new blanket less than six years
Pāli / Sanskrit:Chabbassa
A monk who makes a blanket must wait for six years before making another. If he does not, he must relinquish it and confess the offense.
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Chabbassa: The Rule on the Use of Robes
Background
The Chabbassa belongs to the Pātimokkha (monastic rules) within the Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism. These are detailed regulations governing the conduct of bhikkhus in the Saṅgha, established on the basis of specific events that occurred after the Buddha passed into nirvāṇa.
A robe (cīvara) is one of the four basic requisites of a bhikkhu: clothing. During the time of the Buddha, bhikkhus would typically make use of discarded pieces of cloth gathered from charnel grounds, washing, mending, and dyeing them to fashion their robes. The management of this requisite must conform to clear principles in order to prevent indulgence of the body, attachment to material possessions, and to ensure fairness and sharing within the Saṅgha.
The Chabbassa specifically establishes that a bhikkhu who has newly made a robe must wait no fewer than six years before being permitted to make another new robe. This regulation reflects the meditative principles of contentment, restraint, and the wise use of material requisites.
Main Content
According to the Chabbassa rule, once a bhikkhu has completed making a new robe, that robe becomes his personal possession. For a period of six years from the time the robe is completed, this bhikkhu is not permitted to make or obtain another new robe, except in special circumstances allowed by the Vinaya (such as the old robe being damaged, lost, or stolen).
If a bhikkhu violates this regulation—that is, if he obtains a new robe before six years have elapsed—that robe is considered an infringement and must be forfeited. The practitioner must return the unauthorized robe to the Saṅgha or to the designated person. In addition, the bhikkhu must also perform paṭidesanā, that is, publicly confess this offense before the Saṅgha, expressing remorse and the resolve to reform.
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