Lzh Dg Bu Pm Sk 44Poking Tongue

Jivhānicchāraka Sutta: Sticking Out the Tongue

Background

The Jivhānicchāraka Sutta (Pāli: jivhā = tongue; nicchāraka = sticking out, exposing) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda tradition, recording the rules and disciplinary conduct within the Buddhist Sangha. This sutta focuses on instructing monks and nuns about behavior unsuitable to the spirit of practice, especially improper conduct related to the body and to conduct in the community of practitioners.

The background of the sutta arose from specific cases in the process of the Buddha instructing the Sangha. Some monks and nuns acted improperly because of a lack of self-restraint or failure to understand the discipline of practice, leading the Buddha to establish specific rules to educate and protect the purity of the Sangha.

Main Content

This sutta records a situation in which a monk or nun stuck out the tongue in an impolite or improper manner. Though seemingly minor, this action carries deep significance concerning discipline and respect in the Sangha.

According to the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, rules concerning the body and speech are regarded as basic factors of ethical practice. Control over the major and minor movements of the body, from the way one sits, stands, and speaks to small movements such as sticking out the tongue, all reflect the degree of self-awareness and observance of the teaching in a practitioner.

The sutta indicates that the act of sticking out the tongue may carry unwholesome intentions such as mockery, insult, or disrespect. For a practitioner, these are mental tendencies that must be completely overcome. The Buddha therefore established a rule to educate the Sangha about the importance of self-mastery, not only in great actions, but also in the smallest details of daily life.

Practical Meaning

The Jivhānicchāraka Sutta teaches us that practice is not only at the deep level of consciousness, but must be expressed through every detail of body and speech.