Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 137Disposing Feces on Plants

Explanation of the Harituccārachaḍḍana Sutra

Disposing of Filthy Feces on Plants

Background

The Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravada Buddha Dharma records the rules of living and training that the Buddha established for monks and nuns. The Harituccārachaḍḍana Sutra belongs to the Pātimokkha Sutta, specifically among the Pācittiya rules, offenses requiring confession. This content arose from specific events in the early monastic community, when the Buddha discovered actions, careless or intentional, that harmed the shared living environment.

The word harita means plants, green and fresh; uccāra means waste; chaḍḍana means the act of throwing away. This sutra deals with a basic matter of hygiene, but it has deeper implications concerning respect for life and preservation of the shared space of the Sangha.

Main Content

According to the Vinaya Pitaka, a monastic is not permitted to throw bodily waste, especially feces or urine, on plants, crops, or anything capable of living. This act is considered Pācittiya, that is, an offense requiring confession before the community.

The reason for establishing this rule is not merely hygiene. It reflects a basic principle of the Buddha Dharma: respect for the life of all beings, including microorganisms and plants. Plants are considered to have life (pāṇa), and soiling them with waste is a subtle but real form of harm. In addition, this rule protects the health of the monastic community and ensures the cleanliness of the monastery grounds.

This Pācittiya 137 sutra also reflects the difference between negligent and intentional action. If one unintentionally throws feces on plants out of ignorance, the offense still occurs but is lighter in degree. The central point is intention (cetanā), the ethical core of the Buddha Dharma. A monastic must always strive to act with awareness and not allow harm to arise from careless actions.