Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 163Leaving Monastery After Sunset
Pāli / Sanskrit:Leaving monastery after sunset
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Sutra on Leaving the Monastery After Sunset
Background
This sutra belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, where the rules of moral training and discipline in the Sangha are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not doctrine for preaching, but practical regulations intended to maintain harmony, diligence, and concentration in the monastic community.
The background of this sutra comes from specific situations in early monastic life. Bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs needed to observe certain restrictions regarding the timing of daily activities. Leaving the monastery after sunset was not only a matter of time management, but was directly related to safety, consciousness, and the nature of the wakeful life (sati) encouraged by the Buddhadharma.
The Buddha saw that leaving the monastery at night could create unnecessary difficulties: hardship on the road, latent dangers, and most importantly, conduct unsuitable to the image of a monastic practicing according to the Buddhadharma. Therefore, regulations on the timing of activities were established not to restrict freedom, but to protect each individual monastic and the common welfare of the Sangha.
Main Content
The sutra prescribes that a bhikkhu should not leave a monastery or temple after sunset. This rule applies to the entire Sangha, with no special exception apart from genuine emergencies, such as fire or disease. If there is a compelling need to leave the monastery at night, the monastic must inform other Dharma companions, especially those who are senior, so that they know the reason and the direction of travel.
This regulation emphasizes the importance of complete attentiveness (appamāda) and discipline (saṃvara). Furthermore, it protects the dignity of the Sangha in the eyes of the ordinary community. Monastics being outside late at night can easily give rise to unnecessary suspicion or criticism from outsiders.
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