Lzh Mg Bu Pm Sk 11Swaying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kāyappacālaka
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Kāyappacālaka Sutta (The Discourse on Swaying the Body)
Background
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda tradition, situated in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the chapter on the rules for nuns). The context of this discourse arises from regulations concerning discipline within the monastic community, particularly relating to conduct and the behaviors to be avoided in order to maintain purity.
According to the approach of the Theravāda Vinaya, the rules of discipline were not established arbitrarily, but arose from specific situations that the Buddha observed and addressed through guidance. This discourse records one such situation, concerning bodily actions that are incompatible with the ethical conduct of one who has gone forth in religious training.
Principal Content
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta identifies the ways in which female monastics (bhikkhunīs) may transgress discipline through improper swaying or agitation of the body. The compound "kāya-ppacālaka" (kāya = body; pacālaka = that which causes swaying or movement) refers to behaviors in which the body is employed in a manner incompatible with Buddhist ethical standards.
Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, all bodily actions carry ethical significance. Uncontrolled bodily movements that lack dignity, or that are motivated by unwholesome intention, are regarded as violations of the spirit of religious practice. In particular, actions performed in the presence of others with the aim of attracting attention or exerting an improper influence are expressly cautioned against.
This discourse emphasizes that one who has gone forth in training should maintain the body in a state of purity, composure, and dignity (sīla). Every movement of the body must be accompanied by deliberateness, mindful awareness, and conformity with the spirit of ethical conduct. This is not merely a mechanical or outwardly formal matter, but is the expression of a mind that has been trained and guided by wisdom and compassion.
Practical Significance
The profound significance of the Kāyappacālaka Sutta lies in the recognition that the practice of the path does not occur in the mind alone, but is manifestly expressed through every movement of the body. A monastic who scrupulously upholds the precepts (sīla-sampadā)
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