Bu Pc 2626. Sewing a robe for a nun
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvarasibbana
A monk who sews a robe for a nun must confess the offense.
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The Discourse on Sewing a Robe for a Bhikkhunī — Bu Pc 26
Background
This rule is recorded in the Pātimokkha of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pācittiya section — those offenses requiring confession. To understand this rule deeply, we must know that in the time of the Buddha, bhikkhunīs (female monastics) had their own needs regarding monastic robes, particularly the sets of robes (cīvara). However, the Buddha established restrictions on the manner of interaction between male monastics (bhikkhus) and female monastics in order to protect meditative composure and maintain discipline within the Saṅgha.
Rule Bu Pc 26 (Cīvarasibbana) arose from a specific incident in which certain bhikkhus had themselves sewn robes for bhikkhunīs. The Buddha recognized that this action, though outwardly benevolent in appearance, had the potential to create unsuitable forms of intimacy between male and female monastics, thereby weakening meditative composure (samādhi) and leading to more serious transgressions.
Main Content
According to the twenty-sixth Pātimokkha Pācittiya, a bhikkhu who with his own hands sews a robe (or mends garments) for a bhikkhunī commits a Pācittiya offense — that is, an offense requiring confession before the entire Saṅgha. This is neither a Saṅghādisesa offense (those requiring collective confession) nor a Pārājika offense (those entailing defeat), but rather a lesser offense that nonetheless must be publicly acknowledged.
The reason for this rule relates directly to the principle the Buddha taught concerning proper separation (ābhaya) between male and female monastics. When a bhikkhu sews a robe for a bhikkhunī, this gives rise to situations of repeated closeness — private meetings, exchanges regarding measurements, fabric, and individual requirements — interactions that can easily lead to the arising of sensual desire or states of mind that are not pure.
This rule is not an absolute prohibition but rather a wise restraint. If necessary, a bhikkhu may instruct bhikkhunīs in how to sew their own robes, or may arrange for persons outside the Saṅgha — such as lay supporters — to carry out this work.
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