Abstract : A complete and definitive collection of the general chapter appears as a Cistercian Grail, always yearned for, sometimes approached, but never truly possessed. We all know that one learns much on such a quest, but the question is : what does one learn from it ? Regarding the Cistercian statutes, we should address various issues : What materials are available for such an edition ? Are they sufficient for a good edition ? If not, what does it teach us about Cistercian practices and about the directions in which Cistercian studies should turn ?