Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pc 17Encroaching on a Monastic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Anupakhajja
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Commentary on the Anupakhajja Sutta (Encroaching upon the Standing of a Monastic)
Background
The Anupakhajja Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, recorded within the Pātimokkha (the Code of Discipline) as one of the rules governing the conduct of the monastic community. The Vinaya Piṭaka forms the organizational and disciplinary foundation of the Saṅgha, ensuring harmony, purity, and dignity within the community of practitioners.
The circumstances that gave rise to this rule involve complex situations arising in the communal life of monastics. During the time when the Blessed One was still present in the world, he observed certain difficulties in the relationships among members of the Saṅgha — in particular, cases in which some monastics engaged in conduct that caused disruption and brought harm to the legitimate standing or reputation of other monastics. In order to uphold mutual respect and to preserve the integrity of the Saṅgha, the Blessed One set forth specific rules governing proper conduct.
Principal Content
The Anupakhajja Sutta (anupakhajja = to encroach upon, to cause harm) addresses those actions or words that directly infringe upon the standing, honor, or dignity of a monastic within the community. This includes such actions as: publicly criticizing another, exposing another's weaknesses, or engaging in conduct intended to diminish oneself or another in the eyes of the Saṅgha.
This rule is founded upon the principle that every member of the Saṅgha is deserving of respect with regard to his or her standing within the community of practitioners. Publicly encroaching upon or causing harm to another's honor gives rise to disruption and division, and weakens the collective strength of the Saṅgha. Therefore, monastics are encouraged to resolve disagreements privately, discreetly, or through the Saṅgha's established mechanisms of reconciliation, rather than through open infringement upon one another.
This rule also reflects a balance between truthfulness (sacca) and compassion (mettā). Although truth is of great importance, the manner in which it is expressed must likewise take into account the consequences and the impact upon the harmony of the Saṅgha.
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