Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 113Adeśitaśikṣā

The Adeśitaśikṣā Sutta — Training Not Yet Taught

Background

The Adeśitaśikṣā Sutta is found in the Pātimokkha, the fundamental discipline of Buddhist monks and nuns in the Theravāda tradition. The Pāli title “Adeśita-śikṣā” means “training not yet taught” or “training not previously prescribed.” This is one of the special regulations intended to protect the purity of the monastic community, reflecting a spirit both flexible and serious in the governance of discipline.

The background of this sutta is connected with specific events in the early history of the dispensation. The Buddha could not foresee every possible situation of wrongdoing that might occur. Therefore, he established a flexible principle: if an action had not yet been declared forbidden by the Buddha, but clearly violated the spirit of practice and harmed the Buddhist Sangha, then the Sangha had the authority to determine it as a violation. This shows the wisdom of the Buddha Dharma: it is not bound to the letter alone, but follows conscience and principle.

Main Content

The Adeśitaśikṣā Sutta states that if a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī performs an action that the Buddha has not taught as prohibited (paññatti), but that action clearly violates established principles of practice or harms the sanctity of the community, then the Sangha is permitted to define it as a violation equivalent to an offense (āpatti).

This principle is based on three important factors. First, the act must clearly violate the spirit of the Dharma. Second, it must harm the purity and honor of the monastics. Third, the decision must be made by the entire Sangha or by a majority consensus, not by an individual.

This is not arbitrary religious law. Rather, it is a mechanism for protecting the Dharma against unforeseen complications. This allows the community to develop a deeper understanding of what violates the spirit of practice, even when those actions have never been mentioned in the Buddha’s discourses.