Lzh Mg Bu Pm Sk 41Shaking the Hand

COMMENTARY ON THE HATTHANIDDHUNAKA SUTTA

(The Discourse on Shaking the Hand)

Background

The Hatthaniddhunaka Sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the section governing the conduct of bhikkhus. These are rules of practice directly related to the purification of body, speech, and mind within the monastic community. This sutta is recorded as a specific event that took place at Jetavana Monastery, where the Buddha Śākyamuni frequently expounded the Dharma.

The context arose when a certain bhikkhu violated a rule concerning improper physical contact with women, or performed actions that could give rise to misunderstanding regarding the nature of compassion. This event prompted the Buddha to set forth clear rules of conduct, in order to protect both the honor of the Sangha and the practice of individual purity.

Main Content

This sutta clearly establishes that actions such as shaking hands, touching another person's body without necessity, or other forms of physical contact lacking a legitimate Dharma-based reason—such as medical care or emergency—are considered violations of the Vinaya rules. In particular, such contact with women is regarded as constituting the offense of Saṅghādisesa—transgressions that require a definite response in terms of penalty according to their degree of severity.

The Buddha emphasizes that, although such actions may outwardly appear minor, they nonetheless carry the potential to cause offense, misunderstanding, and damage to the trust of the community of Dharma practitioners. Therefore, bhikkhus in training are required to maintain an appropriate distance, uphold dignity and decorum, and respect the boundaries between monastics and laypeople or women, so as to safeguard their own Dharma practice.

This rule also applies among bhikkhus themselves, reflecting a broader principle of dignity and internal discipline within the Sangha.