Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 25Laughing Loudly (2nd)

Exposition of the Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta (Laughing Loudly - Part Two)

Background

The Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, a precious repository recording the rules of practice for the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a formal code of law, but also a record of historical events and teaching contexts of the Buddha.

This sutta is found in the Vibhaṅga section (Detailed Analysis of the Precepts), specifically among the rules concerning the behavior and conduct of bhikkhus. The title “Laughing Loudly” (Ujjagghika) indicates a specific type of action examined by the Buddha to determine whether it constituted a violation of the discipline. The word “Second” (Dutiya) indicates that this is a repetition or expansion of a similar situation mentioned earlier.

In the context of practice, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation of discipline within the Sangha. The Buddha’s decisions about each small action in daily life were all intended to protect the practitioner’s mind from subtle defilements.

Main Content

Although the descriptive information does not provide the specific content of this sutta, based on the structure of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta concerns the Buddha’s examination of an action: the manner in which bhikkhus “laughed loudly” or “laughed aloud.”

In the Theravāda teachings, the Buddha paid close attention to the conduct, speech, and even laughter of those gone forth. These things may seem minor, but they reflect the state of mind and affect others as well as one’s own practice.

This legal procedure usually follows a pattern: (1) a specific event is stated; (2) the Buddha gives a ruling on the nature of that action; (3) a rule (sikkhāpada) is established to guide bhikkhus in the future. Regarding the matter of “laughing loudly,” the Buddha may have determined that this action, under certain conditions, violated the discipline of decorum or diminished the dignity of a monastic.