Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 68Obstructions

ANTARĀYIKA SUTRA: OBSTRUCTIONS ON THE PATH OF PRACTICE

Background

The Antarāyika sutra, “Obstructions,” is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon and reflects the deep concern of the Theravāda tradition with the factors that hinder the progress of monks and nuns in practice. In the context of the early Sangha, the Buddha and the venerable teachers recognized that not everyone who went forth had the ability or conditions to practice effectively. These obstructions were not only physical or legal obstacles, but also psychological, ethical, and practical factors that harmed the foundation of the monastic community.

The Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as “the protector of the Dharma,” a body of rules and instructions that maintains discipline, harmony, and the continuous progress of the Sangha. The Antarāyika sutra specifies which conditions would prevent a monastic from progressing in the power of practice.

Main Content

Although the detailed content of this sutra has not yet been fully translated in the descriptive information, according to the traditional Vinaya collections, the obstructions (antarāyika) commonly mentioned include these basic factors:

First are serious ethical violations (pārājika), acts such as killing, stealing, sexual offenses, or lying about supramundane attainments. These violations sever the monastic’s connection with the Dharma and make that person no longer part of the Sangha in practice.

Second are negative mental states: greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha), powerful psychological forces that obstruct the development of concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Those dominated by these states can hardly progress in meditation and especially cannot attain realization.

Third are acts that damage the Sangha: causing fissures in the community, breaking harmony (samaggi), or sowing conflict among disciples. These acts obstruct not only the wrongdoer but also the entire monastic community.