Lzh Mg Bi Vb Sk 10Evenly All Around

The Parimaṇḍala Sutta (Evenly and Completely All Around)

Background

The Parimaṇḍala Sutta belongs to the Vinaya (Discipline Basket) of the Pāli Canon, comprising disciplinary guidelines for bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunīs (nuns) within the Sangha community of Theravāda Buddhism. The Vinaya records the rules of practice established by Śākyamuni Buddha in order to maintain purity and harmony within the monastic community.

This sutta is found within the Skandhaka, the section of the Discipline concerned primarily with communal activities and practical situations arising in the life of practice. The title "Evenly All Around" (Parimaṇḍala) expresses the concept of equality, fairness, and comprehensiveness in the application of rules of practice, without selectivity or discrimination.

Main Content

The Parimaṇḍala Sutta centers on the principle that the disciplinary rules of the Sangha must be applied parimaṇḍala — that is, uniformly and fairly to all members of the community, without exception. The word "parimaṇḍala" (pari = all around, maṇḍala = circle or sphere) is a reminder that discipline is not an instrument for showing favor or acting unjustly, but rather a means of protecting the moral integrity of the Sangha as a whole.

This sutta examines specific situations concerning disciplinary decisions — whether in the acceptance of new members, the assignment of communal duties, or the handling of ethical transgressions. The fundamental principle is that all members must be held to the same standard, without distinction arising from status, ability, or personal partiality.

The sutta emphasizes that the Buddha set forth these rules so that the Sangha might function as a true community — one in which mutual respect, fairness, and understanding serve as the foundation. Whenever there is unfairness or a failure to apply the rules comprehensively, discord and division within the community are the inevitable result.