Lzh Mg Bu Pm Sk 35Licking the Hands
Pāli / Sanskrit:Hatthanillehaka
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Commentary on the Hatthanillehaka Sutta (Licking the Hands)
Background
The Hatthanillehaka Sutta is found in the Vinaya Pitaka, specifically within the Suttavibhanga — the rules of training for the monastic community. This is not an ordinary discourse on the Dharma, but rather a rule established by the Buddha to protect the purity of the Sangha.
According to the Theravada tradition, the Vinaya Pitaka records each specific circumstance that the Buddha encountered in the course of his teaching. Every prohibition established therein originates from an actual event — intended to educate bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, and practitioners concerning the conduct befitting the Buddha's teaching. This sutta preserves a particular case involving improper behavior on the part of a monastic.
According to the traditional account, the Buddha came upon a monastic whose conduct brought shame upon the Sangha. From this, he established a rule to protect the honor of the fourfold assembly of Buddhist disciples.
Principal Content
The specific content of this sutta in the Vinaya Pitaka records the improper behavior of licking one's own hands — an act regarded as unbecoming for one who has gone forth into the homeless life. This is not merely a formal regulation, but an expression of the principle of governing body, speech, and mind in every moment.
The Buddha emphasized that those who have gone forth into the monastic life must maintain a proper and dignified bearing. The body of a monastic is not an instrument for acts of self-indulgence or for causing embarrassment. Every gesture of one who is training must reflect a focus on the Dharma, undiverted by vulgar habits.
This rule is classified among the regulations concerning bodily action (kāyakamma), an important component of Buddhist ethics. It speaks not only of a specific act, but also reflects the spirit of governing all physical conduct, avoiding whatever may bring harm to the reputation of the practitioner and the Sangha.
Practical Significance
Although this sutta records a specific behavior from ancient times, its deeper significance remains applicable to practice today.
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