Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 24Laughing Loudly
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ujjagghika
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SUTTA ON LAUGHING LOUDLY (Ujjagghika)
Background
The Sutta on Laughing Loudly is found in the Vinayapiṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Suttavibhaṅga, the code concerning faults in the Sangha. This sutta was recorded in the context of early Buddhism, when the Blessed Buddha was still alive and guiding the international monastic community (saṅgha).
The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a dry legal code, but ethical guidance formed through specific events. Each rule was laid down by the Buddha to educate practitioners about unsuitable mental expressions or behaviors that caused discomfort in the practicing community. The Ujjagghika Sutta concerns laughing loudly in the monastery, an action that may seem harmless at first, but which the Buddha recognized as reflecting an uncareful state of mind.
Main Content
According to the Theravāda tradition, this sutta records a situation in which bhikkhus laughed loudly in a place of Dharma discussion or during common activities of the monastery. This was not subtle or mindful smiling, but boisterous, ostentatious laughter that distracted others who were concentrating on practice.
The Blessed Buddha saw that this behavior was not in keeping with the spirit of pure practice (brahmacaya). Loud laughter reveals a mental state that has not been restrained or cultivated. It breaks the quiet and concentration necessary for the cultivation of samādhi and wisdom (paññā).
Therefore, the Buddha laid down a rule: any bhikkhu who laughs boisterously or loudly (ujjagghika) in the monastery without proper reason is considered to have committed an offense. This does not prohibit laughter entirely, for natural laughter and sincere smiling can express a wholesome state of mind. Rather, it is a reminder that our actions must be governed by concentration, and must be appropriate to the practice environment and the common welfare of the monastery.
Practical Meaning
The Ujjagghika Sutta teaches us carefulness (appamāda) in every action, every word, and every expression.
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