Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pc 135Going Wandering
Pāli / Sanskrit:Cārikanapakkamana
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Cārikanapakkamana Sutta (Departure for Wandering)
Background
This sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the Pācittiya section, which concerns offenses requiring confession and expiation. It belongs to the Theravāda tradition and focuses on regulating the manner in which bhikkhunīs undertake wandering journeys.
In the early period of the Saṅgha, while the Buddha was still living, a number of bhikkhunīs were inclined toward a laxity of discipline, particularly when traveling alone or in small groups without the guidance of senior teachers (ājīvakadhamma). This sutta therefore records an important rule intended to protect the community of female monastics from misconduct in their way of life, thereby preserving the purity and integrity of their practice.
Principal Content
Cārikanapakkamana—from cārika (going, wandering) and pakkamana (departing, setting out)—refers to a specific rule: when a bhikkhunī wishes to set out wandering from her place of residence, she must comply with certain stipulations so that the Saṅgha suffers no loss in terms of personnel and governance.
According to this rule, a bhikkhunī may not of her own accord leave her preceptor and go wandering without the approval of the Saṅgha or at least the guidance of senior monastics. This is regarded as a Pācittiya offense—an offense requiring confession and expiation before the Saṅgha (paccattaṃ pāpuṇitvā pācittiyaṃ).
The basis of this rule is not one of purely compulsory constraint, but arises from three principles: first, to protect the physical and mental safety of bhikkhunīs in the course of their travels; second, to maintain the collective discipline of the Saṅgha (saṅgha) so that it may function effectively; and third, to prevent conduct that could undermine the confidence of the wider community in the Saṅgha.
Practical Significance
The Cārikanapakkamana Sutta reflects a profound truth in the Buddha-Dharma: individual freedom must be balanced with collective responsibility.
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