Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 77Standing Alone With Monk
Pāli / Sanskrit:Standing alone with monk
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The Sutta on Standing Alone With a Bhikkhu
An Explanation According to the Early Pāli Canon Tradition
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Three Baskets of the Buddha’s teaching, where the training rules of the Sangha are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of rigid prohibitions, but a body of principles for cultivation built from specific situations in the life of the Sangha when the Buddha was still present in the world. Every rule has a historical context: when it arose and why the Buddha needed to establish it.
The sutta “Standing Alone With a Bhikkhu” concerns rules about virtuous conduct (sīla) and the behavior of bhikkhus in the Sangha. “Standing alone” with another bhikkhu, just the two of them, has particular meanings, relating both to the purity of the Dharma and to the prevention of misunderstanding and disgrace in the monastic community.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya tradition, bhikkhus must always be vigilant regarding their behavior, speech, and thoughts. “Standing alone” with a bhikkhu, meaning being in a private place with only two people, is regarded as a situation requiring great caution. The Buddha established guidelines to protect the honor of the Sangha and avoid baseless accusations or actual misconduct.
This rule teaches that bhikkhus should avoid being alone with another bhikkhu in secluded places unless there is a legitimate reason, such as teaching the Dharma, asking about the Dharma, or caring for the sick. If it is necessary to be alone, there must be preparation and clarity of purpose so as not to give rise to suspicion in the community or in the imagination of ill-intentioned people.
The deeper reason for this rule is that the Buddha wished to maintain the purity of the Sangha in the eyes of the public. If bhikkhus allow people an opportunity to speculate or slander, the reputation of the Dharma will be harmed, and those of wholesome faith will lose confidence.
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