Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 162Leaving Monastery Towards Sunset
Pāli / Sanskrit:Leaving monastery towards sunset
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Commentary on the Sutra: Leaving the Monastery Toward Dusk
Background
The Vinaya Piṭaka records in detail the rules of moral training that monks and nuns must observe in the communal life of the Buddhist community. This sutra belongs to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the rules for bhikkhunīs, in the Pācittiya section, offenses requiring confession, which step by step guide female monastics in the practice of daily discipline.
The background of this sutra arose from specific situations in monastic life. The Buddha and his monastic disciples understood that detailed rules were not meant to impose constraint, but to protect the integrity of the place of practice, maintain stability in the community of training, and prevent unwholesome conduct that could damage the honor of the Dharma.
Main Content
This sutra concerns regulations on the activities of bhikkhunīs at dusk. In the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, periods of activity are clearly divided: morning is for almsround (piṇḍapāta), midday for study and monastic duties, and dusk and night for meditation, Dharma talks, and internal communal activities.
For a bhikkhunī to leave the monastery after or near dusk has a particular significance. This rule is not an absolute prohibition, but a reminder that dusk is a central time for meditative cultivation in the place of practice. By leaving the monastery at this time, a bhikkhunī may implicitly create a disruption in the community’s supervision, or create opportunities for slander from those outside the place of practice.
Pācittiya is a type of offense that requires confession to another bhikkhu or bhikkhunī. It is not as grave as pārājika, offenses leading to expulsion from the place of practice, but it still requires restraint and self-examination.
Practical Meaning
This sutra teaches a profound lesson about self-discipline. It is not merely about mechanically obeying rules, but about understanding that every action of a monastic affects the dignity of the Dharma and the stability of the community.
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