Ka Bu Pm Sk 50Nojjighrantaḥ
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nojjighrantaḥ
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Nojjighrantaḥ Sutta
Explanation According to the Theravāda Tradition
Background
The Nojjighrantaḥ Sutta is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the disciplinary code governing the ascetic life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in the Buddhist Sangha. The term “Nojjighrantaḥ” carries the meaning “not tightly bound” or “not constrained,” referring to a basic principle in approaching rules of practice: one should not be rigid, coercive, or create excessive bondage.
The context in which this discourse was formulated lies in the process by which the Buddha and the monks established rules of practice based on practical needs. Instead of presenting strange taboos or overly tight frameworks, the Buddha-Dharma emphasizes practicing rules with deep understanding of their purpose. This is one way in which Theravāda Buddhism differs from other religions.
Main Content
The discourse teaches that rules (sīla) are established not to create bondage, but to free the mind from greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha). Rules need to be understood according to context, according to their spirit rather than according to rigid literalism.
When applying ascetic rules, the practitioner should not fall into two extremes: passively obeying mechanically or denying the value of rules. Instead, one needs to develop mindfulness (sati) and wisdom (paññā) in order to recognize that each rule has the purpose of helping the practitioner progress on the path of liberation.
The discourse emphasizes that those who practice with initiative, understanding, and faith in the teaching will develop concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Conversely, those who follow rules without understanding their meaning will only create hardship for themselves and will not attain the true purpose.
Practical Meaning
In modern practice, the Nojjighrantaḥ Sutta reminds us that the quality of being “not tightly bound” does not mean lawlessness or unlimited freedom.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.