Lzh Dg Bi Vb Sk 98Wearing Armor
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na saṁnaddhāya
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THE SUTTA ON NA SAṀNADDHĀYA (The Sutta on Not Wearing Armor)
Background
The Na Saṁnaddhāya Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda tradition, specifically to the Sutta Vibhaṅga—the detailed regulations governing the discipline of monks and nuns. This sutta concerns the actions and attitudes that bhikkhus and bhikkhunis ought to avoid in the course of their practice.
According to the Pāli Canon, "Saṁnaddhāya" means "wearing armor" or "protecting oneself with weapons and armor." In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this serves as a metaphor pointing to attitudes of arrogance, excessive self-protection, or actions of a competitive and conflictual nature within the monastic community. This sutta reminds us that one who has gone forth into homelessness should not "wear armor" in the psychological sense—that is, one should not maintain a rigidly defensive attitude, nor engage in dispute or competition with one's fellow monastics.
Principal Content
The Na Saṁnaddhāya Sutta indicates that bhikkhus and bhikkhunis should not dwell with the mentality of "wearing armor"—a psychological state in which a practitioner protects oneself in a rigid and totalizing manner, displaying hostility or a competitive spirit toward others within the community. Instead, they should dwell with an open and flexible mind, free from excessive defensiveness and free from the outlook of "us" against "them."
This sutta reflects a fundamental principle of Theravāda Buddhism: harmony (samavāya) and unity (ekaggā) within the monastic community are indispensable. A monastic who practices with an "armored" mind generates division and conflict, thereby weakening the spirit of the community. This stands in contrast to the ideal of one engaged in practice: to dwell with a mind of loving-kindness (mettā), free from contention and free from envy.
The Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda tradition places great importance on psychological transgressions and violations of social conduct.
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