Bu Pc 2525. Giving robe-cloth to a nun
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaradāna
A monk who gives robe-cloth to a nun must confess the offense.
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Commentary on the Cīvaradāna Sutta (Giving Robe-Cloth to a Nun)
Background
The Cīvaradāna appears in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of rules for nuns) within the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically as Pācittiya 25. A Pācittiya is one of the categories of offenses in the Theravāda monastic code — transgressions that require confession before another bhikkhu in order to be cleared.
The community of the Buddha's time comprised both a Bhikkhu Saṅgha and a Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. In order to preserve purity and to avoid misunderstanding on the part of laypeople as well as members of the monastic community itself, the Buddha established detailed rules governing interaction between male and female monastics. This rule arose in the context of protecting the dignity of both the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhunī Saṅghas and of dispelling doubts that might arise in society.
Cīvara is the term for robes, the garments worn by monastics. The giving or exchange of robes is a practical necessity of monastic life, yet it also creates an occasion for unnecessary proximity between male and female monastics.
Principal Content
According to Pācittiya 25, if a bhikkhu (male monastic) gives robe-cloth directly to a nun, he commits a Pācittiya offense and must confess it. This rule does not prohibit a nun from receiving robe-cloth; rather, it prohibits the direct act of giving by a male monastic.
The reason for this rule is to avoid unnecessary closeness and the inappropriate associations that may arise from it. The Buddha's teaching emphasizes that upholding the Vinaya is not merely a matter of outward action, but also a matter of avoiding suspicion, ill-spoken words, and occasions that could undermine purity of mind.
Instead, the giving of robe-cloth to a nun should be carried out through an intermediary — ordinarily another nun — or by other permitted means. This protects both giver and recipient alike, while maintaining the honor of both Saṅghas.
Practical Significance
This text reflects a profound principle in Theravāda Buddhism: the Vinaya is an expression of care and compassion, not an instrument of oppression.
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