Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Pc 75Leaving Without Giving Consent

EXPLANATION OF THE CHANDAṀADATVĀGAMANA RULE

Background

The rule Chandaṁadatvāgamana belongs to the Pācittiya system in the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, the section prescribing training rules whose violation requires confession (pācittiya) before the Sangha. This is the seventy-fifth rule in the Pācittiya list, focused on regulating the behavior of bhikkhus in Sangha life.

In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of administrative rules, but the foundation of harmony in the Sangha (saṅgha-sāmaggī). The Buddha laid down training rules based on specific cases that arose during his teaching, in order to protect the honor of the Sangha, maintain internal order, and help practitioners attain liberation.

This rule was laid down in the context of the communal life of bhikkhus, especially in relation to common decisions of the Sangha. When the Sangha conducts yết-ma (kamma), legal acts of the Sangha, the full presence or the sending of consent (chanda) by members is extremely important to ensure the legality of decisions.

Main Content

Chandaṁadatvāgamana — literally “going elsewhere without giving consent” — prescribes that when a bhikkhu knows that the Sangha will hold a meeting, a formal act, or a common business requiring the attendance or consent of its members, and that bhikkhu leaves the place without giving chanda, consent or authorization, to another bhikkhu to represent him, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

In the system of Sangha law, chanda is not merely permission, but expresses the spirit of responsibility and respect for collective decision-making. When a bhikkhu cannot attend an important Sangha meeting for a valid reason, he may entrust his consent to another bhikkhu who is present, usually through a standard formula of declaration.

A violation of this rule occurs when all the elements are present: (1) a Sangha meeting has been convened, (2) the bhikkhu knows of this meeting, (3) attendance or the sending of chanda is necessary, (4) the bhikkhu intentionally leaves without giving chanda, and (5) the meeting lawfully takes place in his absence.

This rule protects the democratic principle in the Sangha: every important decision requires consensus, and deliberately absenting oneself without proper reason is viewed as undermining harmony. At the same time, it prevents an irresponsible or indifferent attitude toward common affairs.

Practical Meaning

The Chandaṁadatvāgamana rule has profound meaning for modern practice. First, it emphasizes collective responsibility: every member of a community of practice has an important role in maintaining the harmonious functioning of the Sangha. No one is permitted to stand outside or arbitrarily distance oneself from shared responsibility.

Second, this rule teaches the spirit of respect for collective decisions. In an age of individualism, practitioners need to learn how to balance personal freedom with the common good.