Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Sk 96Holding a Staff

Daṇḍapāṇi Sutta: On Holding a Staff

Background

The Daṇḍapāṇi Sutta (Daṇḍa = staff, pāṇi = hand) originates from disciplinary rules for the fourfold community in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of rules of conduct that the Buddha established for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in order to maintain pure discipline in the Sangha.

The background of this scripture is often connected with specific incidents in the community of monks and nuns, where certain bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs violated rules of conduct. In particular, the matter of “holding a staff” is not only about a physical object, but is a symbol of violent behavior or an aggressive attitude unsuitable for the spirit of practice in the Buddha’s Dharma.

Main Content

In the Vinaya context, holding a staff with the intention of threatening or harming another person is regarded as a serious violation of the renunciant character that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī must cultivate. The Buddha taught that violent actions, even their initial expressions, contradict the four basic wholesome qualities: loving-kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciative joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekkhā).

The scripture clearly states that a bhikkhu should not hold a staff with the intention of striking or threatening another person, whether a disciple, relative, or anyone else. This action not only breaks discipline, but also harms the community’s trust in the Sangha. The Buddha emphasized that the true strength of a practitioner lies in self-restraint, not in physical force.

Related provisions also include abusive speech, harsh criticism, and other actions expressing anger or dissatisfaction. These are all regarded as factors that disturb the harmony of the Sangha body and obstruct the practice of oneself and others.