Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 49On Plants
Pāli / Sanskrit:Hariteuccāra
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
SUTTA ON PLANTS (HARITEUCCĀRA)
Background
Hariteuccāra (Pāli: harita = green, plants; uccāra = arising, growing up) is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically within the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline section for Bhikkhunīs (nuns). This sutta was recorded in the context of the Buddha and the community of monks and nuns establishing ethical principles related to a pure way of life and respect for living things.
In the early period of the Buddha Dharma, the Buddha gave special attention to protecting all forms of life. The rules in the Vinaya Piṭaka are not merely formal restrictions, but expressions of compassion (karunā) toward all beings. The Hariteuccāra Sutta reflects this position when it prescribes how bhikkhunīs should relate to the plant world.
Main Content
Hariteuccāra concerns rules about harming or destroying grasses and plants. In the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, these actions are regarded as violations of the highest ethical standards of those studying the Buddha Dharma.
The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated in commonly available materials, but based on the context of the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, the main principles revolve around the following points:
First, cutting, burning, or destroying plants heedlessly is regulated. Bhikkhunīs must be careful when walking, especially during the rainy season when small living beings such as insects and worms appear in grass and soil. This reflects the first principle of the Five Precepts (Pañcasīla): abstaining from killing living beings (pāṇātipātā veramaṇī).
Second, an attitude of respect toward nature is encouraged. Bhikkhunīs are advised to contemplate the mutual dependence between humans and nature. Protecting plants is not only to avoid direct harm, but also to nurture a comprehensive awareness of the unity of all life.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.