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Significance of Civara

Civara denotes the traditional robe worn by Buddhist monks in both Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada. This garment symbolizes their commitment to the spiritual path and is an essential aspect of monastic attire. Through wearing Civara, monks express their dedication to their religious practice and communal identity, reflecting the deeper values and respect associated with their spiritual journey.

Synonyms: Robe, Habit, Garment, Clothing

The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.

Buddhist concept of 'Civara'

Buddhism Books

Civara in Buddhism represents the traditional robe worn by monks, symbolizing their dedication to the spiritual path and commitment to monastic life, serving as an important aspect of their religious identity.

Significance in Theravada (major branch of Buddhism):
Theravada Books

From: Vinaya (2): The Mahavagga

(1) The traditional robe worn by Buddhist monks as part of their monastic attire.[1]

From: Patipada (path of practice)

(1) The outer robe worn by monks, which may or may not be worn during walking cankama depending on the situation.[2]

Theravada is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Significance in Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism):
Tibetan Buddhism Books

From: Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)

(1) The robe worn by Buddhist monks, symbolizing their commitment to the spiritual path.[3]

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayana) are collected indepently.