Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 93Not Interlace Hands While Travelling
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not interlace hands while travelling
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Discourse on Not Interlacing the Hands While Walking on the Road
Background
This discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Sutta Vibhaṅga, the detailed explanation of the training rules. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection that sets forth rules of training and proper conduct for the community of monks and nuns (Saṅgha). Not all rules are strict prohibitions; some are instructions in appropriate deportment, helping monastics preserve a dignified appearance, build trust among the lay community, and develop inner self-discipline.
The discourse on not interlacing the hands while walking on the road (Not Interlace Hands While Travelling) belongs to a series of rules concerning proper conduct while moving about in the community. This context reflects the concern of the Buddha and the elder monastics for maintaining dignity and self-mastery in every circumstance of the contemplative life.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, monastics are instructed not to interlace their hands or let their hands remain uncontrolled while walking on the road. This gesture is considered unsuitable to the appearance of a renunciant, because it may express carelessness, lack of attentiveness, or nonchalance.
Instead, monastics should keep their hands in dignified postures: either letting the hands fall at the sides, or placing the hands at the chest in a prayerful position or other appropriate variations. Such bodily posture not only expresses self-respect, but also shows mental readiness for any interaction with laypeople.
This principle is not an absolute prohibition carrying a heavy penalty, but part of the Sekhiya Sikkhāpadā, the rules concerning conduct and wholesome habits. It belongs to the class of instructions that help monastics train themselves in concentration, observe each action, and cultivate heedfulness (appamāda) in every moment.
Practical Meaning
The deeper meaning of this discourse goes beyond the specific movements of the body.
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