Lzh Dg Bi Pm Sk 44Poking Tongue

The Tongue-Poking Sutta (Jivhānicchāraka)

Background

The Tongue-Poking Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha Dharma, specifically in the Pātimokkha section, the code of practice for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. It is one of the disciplinary texts concerning conduct, related to regulations on how monastics behave within the Sangha community.

The event giving rise to this text came from a specific situation: some bhikkhus acted improperly by sticking out their tongues in jest, mockery, or insult toward other monastics or people in the community. Although this action may seem minor, it violated the spirit of discipline and the respect necessary in a community of practice. On this occasion, the Buddha gave instructions and established rules to prevent such behavior.

Main Content

The Tongue-Poking Sutta emphasizes that bhikkhus who act improperly by sticking out the tongue in a shameful or playful way violate the spirit of practice. The Buddha warned that monastics must maintain dignity, self-restraint, and respect in all their actions, whether those actions seem small or great.

This rule was established to protect the moral discipline (sīla) of monastics. Moral discipline includes not only major actions, but also small actions related to speech, bodily conduct, and intention. Sticking out the tongue in a vulgar or inappropriate way is regarded as an expression of an undignified mind, lacking self-restraint and unfitting for the image of a monastic who has gone forth.

The Buddha established that this conduct could be regarded as an offense requiring confession in lighter cases, or could require heavier forms of handling depending on the circumstances and motive. What matters is that the whole monastic community maintain a high ethical standard in its conduct, because this directly affects the practice of the Buddha Dharma and respect for the Sangha.