Cīvarasutta — Araññavagga — the nineteenth chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
the same five-motive list, abbreviated in the source itself
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, abbreviated by the source
Why this discourse
The same five-motive analysis from AN 5.181, applied to wearing rag robes (paṁsukūlika) — robes made from discarded, salvaged cloth rather than cloth received as a gift — already compressed in the source text itself, which abbreviates the middle three motives with an ellipsis.
Reading guide
An abbreviated repetition, by design
The source text spells out the first and last motives (stupidity, and genuine few-wishes) but replaces the middle three (corrupt wishes, madness, imitation) with an ellipsis marker (‘…pe…’), trusting the reader to recall the full pattern from AN 5.181.
What rag-robe wearing actually meant
Paṁsukūlika robes were sewn from cloth salvaged from rubbish heaps, charnel grounds, or roadsides — genuinely discarded material, not cloth donated new. Choosing this over offered cloth was a direct, visible renunciation of even a basic comfort most people take for granted.
The same five motives apply
As with wilderness dwelling, someone might wear rag robes from folly, vanity, mental disturbance, mere imitation of respected practitioners, or genuine renunciation — and only the last, per AN 5.181's unstated but implied conclusion, is genuinely praiseworthy.
Why the source doesn't restate the 'best' declaration
Unlike AN 5.181 and AN 5.190, this discourse doesn't include the closing declaration of which motive is best, nor the milk-to-ghee simile — the compilers evidently judged that having stated it fully once, for both the first and last practices in this ten-part list, restating it for every middle practice would be needless repetition.
What follows
AN 5.183 and AN 5.184 apply this same compressed template to two further practices — dwelling at the root of a tree, and dwelling in a charnel ground — before the pattern compresses even further starting at AN 5.185.
Key terms
paṁsukūlika — “a rag-robe wearer” — one who wears robes sewn from discarded, salvaged cloth rather than cloth received as a gift.
pe — the standard abbreviation marker, here compressing the middle three motives from AN 5.181 into an ellipsis.
mandattā momūhattā — “from stupidity and folly” — the first motive, spelled out even in this abbreviated form.
idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya — “for the sake of this very reason” — part of the formula for genuine renunciation, the fifth and best motive.
cīvara — “robe” — this discourse's title concept, one of the four basic monastic requisites.
The text
The discourse in full, as compressed in the source itself. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five kinds of rag-robe wearer
§1“Mendicants, these five wear rag robes. What five? One may wear rag robes because of stupidity … corrupt wishes … madness … because it is praised by the Buddhas … or for the sake of having few wishes … These are the five who wear rag robes.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does 'paṁsukūlika' describe?
Correct: A. This discourse's title concept.
Question 2 of 10
How does the source text present this discourse's content?
Correct: A. Trusting the reader to recall the full pattern from AN 5.181.
Question 3 of 10
Where did rag-robe cloth traditionally come from?
Correct: A. A visible renunciation of even a basic comfort.
Question 4 of 10
What does this discourse's abbreviated structure omit that AN 5.181 includes?
Correct: A. Judged needless repetition after AN 5.181's full statement.
Question 5 of 10
What does 'pe' signal in this discourse's Pali text?
Correct: A. Compressing the middle three motives into an ellipsis.
Question 6 of 10
Which motive is spelled out first, even in this abbreviated form?
Correct: A. The first of the five motives, retained despite the overall compression.
Question 7 of 10
What two discourses immediately follow, applying this same compressed template?
Correct: A. Two further ascetic practices, before the pattern compresses even further.
Question 8 of 10
What happens to this template's level of compression starting at AN 5.185?
Correct: A. An increasingly minimal presentation for the remaining practices.
Question 9 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: A. 'Wilderness Dwellers', this session's nineteenth chapter.
Question 10 of 10
What is one of the four basic monastic requisites this discourse concerns?
Correct: A. This discourse's title concept, cīvara.
