Bu Pc 6060. Hiding a robe
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cīvaraapanidhāna
A monk who hides the requisites of another monk must confess the offense.
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Commentary on Bu Pc 60: Cīvara-Apanidhāna
(Hiding the Robe of Another)
Background
Bu Pc 60 belongs to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the Code of Discipline for Bhikkhunīs) within the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is a collection of training rules established by the Buddha to maintain purity within the monastic community, helping practitioners cultivate moral character and sustain their practice over the long term. These rules are not arbitrary prohibitions, but wise guidelines for living together in harmonious community.
The material context of this rule belongs to the early days of the Saṅgha. As the Buddha-Dhamma began to flourish, those who had gone forth lived primarily in dependence upon the requisites of a peaceful life: robes, bowls, and lodging. The robe (cīvara) is not a privately owned possession in the mundane sense, but rather a "support for practice" (paccaya) held in common for the purpose of cultivating the Dhamma. Nevertheless, respect for one another's belongings is the first step in developing moral shame (hirī) and moral dread (ottappa)—two foundational ethical virtues.
Main Content
Bu Pc 60 stipulates that: "Should a bhikkhunī hide the robe or any of the requisites of another bhikkhunī, with the intention of causing annoyance or bringing about her distress, that bhikkhunī incurs an offense of Pācittiya and must confess it" (Pācittiya is a lighter offense than Pārājika, but still requires confession before witnesses).
The act of "hiding" (apanidhāna) here is not simply a matter of concealment. It encompasses the deliberate intention to cause difficulty for another—perhaps out of jealousy, dissatisfaction, or a desire for control. The robe is one of the "five requisites for practice" (pañcapaccaya) that a monastic must maintain for bodily ease in order to continue cultivating the Dhamma. To hide it is to directly obstruct a fellow practitioner's ability to practice, transforming the act into one of unwisdom and lack of compassion.
The offense need not arise from carelessness or inadvertence. It arises from the intention behind the action.
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