Ka Bu Pm Ss 7Building a Dwelling
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vihārakāra
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EXPLANATION OF THE DISCOURSE ON BUILDING A MONASTIC DWELLING
Background
Vihārakāra (Building a Monastic Dwelling) is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically belonging to the Khandhaka, a chapter of disciplinary rules, in the Suttavibhaṅga, the collection of instructional rules for the Buddhist Sangha. This discourse reflects the historical context when the Buddha and his disciples were still alive, especially the period when the monastic community began to need permanent residences (vihāra). At first, bhikkhus lived in a wandering manner or temporarily in caves and forests. As the number of disciples increased, monasteries had to be built to support practice, communal life, and residence during the rainy season (vassa).
Vihārakāra sets out principles, guidelines, and cautions concerning the building of vihāras, or monasteries. This is not merely a technical matter of construction, but also reflects ethical values, the spirit of practice, and the management of the Sangha’s common property according to the Buddhist discipline.
Main Content
This discourse discusses what should be considered when building a residence for the Sangha. First, choosing a site must follow the principle that a monastic dwelling should not be too close to a town, so as to avoid the distractions of worldly life, but also should not be too far away, so that acts of compassion and the provision of food remain convenient. A suitable distance is “the distance of an arrow shot” or a few miles.
As for the physical structure, a vihāra should have suitable rooms for bhikkhus, a main monastery, a Dharma assembly hall (uposathagha), storage rooms, and a place for receiving guests. More importantly, the construction process should not harm living beings or waste resources. If construction kills animals, the person responsible incurs a violation of the discipline.
The discourse also presents the principle of financial management: the manager of the vihāra (vihāradhipati) must be honest and must not embezzle or use common funds for personal purposes.
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