Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 17Swinging the Arms (2nd)

Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta (Shaking the Arms for the Second Time)

Background

The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Vibhaṅga (Analysis of the Discipline) within the Suttavibhaṅga of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, that is, the training rules for nuns. This work records events that occurred in the earliest practicing community, when the Buddha was still alive and dwelling with his disciples.

This historical picture reflects a period when the Buddhist community was forming standards of conduct to maintain order and purity in the Sangha. The small stories in the Vinaya Piṭaka are not merely administrative regulations, but also profound lessons on mindfulness, self-control, and ethics.

The title “Shaking the arms for the second time” (Dutiyabāhuppacālaka) is quite specific, but the precise content of this rule in Vietnamese translation has not been fully published in the existing international materials. Nevertheless, we may understand that it concerns a physical action or gesture regarded as unsuitable for the attitude of a practicing nun.

Main Content

In the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, regulations concerning bodily action are considered very important. Every movement and every gesture reflects the mental state of the practitioner. Shaking the arms, from the perspective of early Buddhism, may be regarded as an expression of restlessness, heedlessness, or even conduct that can cause discomfort and loss of confidence among those nearby.

This sutta, like many others in the Vinaya Piṭaka, is not meant to subdue or torment, but to guide nuns in self-mastery and self-awareness. Every movement, every word, and every action has an effect on the surrounding spiritual space. A nun, having aroused the intention to leave household life in pursuit of liberation, needs to preserve an image of purity and calm at all times and in all places.

This rule also reflects the Buddhist philosophy that every action has results (kamma).