Lzh Mi Bi Pm Sk 72Shaking the Hand
Pāli / Sanskrit:Hatthaniddhunaka
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The Discourse on Shaking the Hand (Hatthaniddhunaka)
Background
The Discourse on Shaking the Hand belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, recording the ethical rules that the Buddha established for the Sangha. This text is found among the regulations concerning lifestyle, actions, and bodily gestures of bhikkhus within the Sangha.
In the Buddha’s time, even seemingly minor matters of bodily movement were regarded as important, because Buddhism recognizes that every action and every gesture reflects the mind and affects both the one who performs it and those around him. The Discourse on Shaking the Hand is evidence of this. It arose from specific situations in the Sangha, the community of bhikkhus, when inappropriate actions occurred and the Buddha needed to correct them.
Main Content
Although the detailed content of this discourse has not yet been fully translated, based on the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Discourse on Shaking the Hand deals with the issue of bodily movements that are unworthy or undignified and that bhikkhus should not perform. Specifically, the act of “shaking the hand” (hatthaniddhunaka) may refer to careless or childish gestures unsuitable to the status of one gone forth.
The Buddha did not teach only about coarse or unwholesome actions, but also about seemingly small matters that may have harmful effects. When bhikkhus shake their hands suddenly or heedlessly, this may distract the mind, break concentration, or reveal an immature mind. Such gestures may even diminish the faith of the Buddhist community in the Sangha.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is especially concerned with sīla, morality, not only in speech or thought but also in bodily action. Thus this discourse is part of the Buddha’s comprehensive effort to train bhikkhus to become monastics endowed with discipline, self-control, and dignity.
Practical Meaning
The Discourse on Shaking the Hand teaches that Buddhist practice concerns not only the mind, but the whole of bodily conduct.
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