Lzh Mi Bi Vb Sk 38Lowered Eyes (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyaokkhittacakkhu
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EXPOSITION OF THE DUTIYAOKKHITTACAKKHU DISCOURSE
Lowering the Eyes for the Second Time
Background
The Dutiyaokkhittacakkhu discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the sacred collection establishing discipline and ethics for monks and nuns in the Buddha’s teaching. This discourse belongs to the category of offenses and their handling, especially related to the process of training new disciples in the Sangha.
In the context of Theravāda Buddhism, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation for the harmonious development of the religious community. These rules are not arbitrary impositions, but arise from specific situations in the life of practice. This discourse concerns the act of “lowering the eyes” (okkhittacakkhu), an expression of respect, humility, and adherence to standards in the monastic environment.
The title “Second” (Dutiya) shows that this is one in a sequence of repeated or similar regulations, reflecting the way the Vinaya Piṭaka is often arranged: rules are repeated with different variations in order to emphasize their importance.
Main Content
The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in the available materials, but based on the context of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, it likely concerns a behavior or attitude related to the way young monastics or those newly entering the Sangha should lower their eyes in certain situations.
Lowering the eyes is a subtle custom in the process of practice. It signifies obedience, respect for seniors, and reverence for the Dharma and the law of the Sangha. It is not only a physical gesture, but the expression of an inner state: humility, readiness to learn, and the abandonment of arrogant conceit (māna).
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, such regulations usually emphasize that bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs newly entering the community must follow appropriate conduct in order to maintain harmony (samavattaratā) and the guiding principles of the Sangha.
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