Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Sk 2Evenly All Around (2nd)

Explanation of the Dutiyaparimaṇḍala Sutta

The Second Circle — Vinaya Piṭaka

Background

The Dutiyaparimaṇḍala Sutta (The Second Circle) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the legal collection preserving the rules for the communal life of monks and nuns in the Buddha’s monasteries. The name “parimaṇḍala” (circle) indicates forms of arrangement, external protocols in gathering the monastics to conduct communal duties such as Uposatha, or other important ceremonies.

In the context of early Buddhism, monks and nuns were not separate individuals only, but an organized community with clear standards of conduct. The “Dutiyaparimaṇḍala,” the second version of rules concerning the circle of practice, reflects the gradual development of these rules. This second version is often accompanied by adjustments or additions compared with the earlier version, in order to adapt to new situations arising in communal life.

Main Content

Although the specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated, based on the general structure of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Dutiyaparimaṇḍala usually revolves around matters such as: the proper way for monastics to line up when the Sangha gathers, the distances and positions to be maintained between senior and junior monastics, and things to be avoided so as not to violate communal standards.

The term “parimaṇḍala” (circle) has not only a geometric meaning, but also contains the idea of harmony and unity. A circle is a symbol with no distinction of beginning and end; every point is at an equal distance from the center. This reflects the ideal of the Sangha community: though there are differences of seniority and junior status, in food, robes, and instruction, all are equal in their goal and responsibility directed toward nirvana.

This discourse, like other parts of the Vinaya, is not a set of rules imposed arbitrarily, but the result of specific situations encountered by the Buddha and the Sangha community.