Lzh Mi Bu Pm Sk 10Na vikīrṇaṁ prāvariṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na vikīrṇaṁ prāvariṣyāma
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Explanation of the Na Vikīrṇaṁ Prāvariṣyāma Sutta
Background
The Na vikīrṇaṁ prāvariṣyāma Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, where regulations concerning monastic observance and communal life are recorded in detail. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of isolated rules, but an expression of the Buddha’s compassion and reason in building a harmonious community of practice.
This sutta appears in the context of the Buddha and his disciples maintaining peace and discipline in the Sangha. Rules concerning action, speech, and intention were established not to constrain, but to help those gone forth focus on the path of liberation. The title Na vikīrṇaṁ prāvariṣyāma, “we shall not cover ourselves in a scattered or loose manner,” reflects this principle: the actions of practitioners must not be disorderly or careless.
Main Content
This sutta revolves around the principle that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs should not allow their articles, possessions, or minds to fall into a condition of being “scattered” (vikīrṇa). The word vikīrṇa means dispersed, unfocused, or scattered. This applies on three levels: material things, action, and consciousness.
On the material level, the articles of a practitioner, robes, robes and outer garments, almsbowl, and other implements of practice, should be kept neatly and not left here and there, because this makes the mind scattered and difficult to manage. A clean and orderly material life is the foundation for a purified mind.
On the level of action, the practitioner should not act heedlessly, speak needless words, or have unclear intentions. Each action should be performed with a clear purpose: the filtering out of mental defilements (kilesa). This relates to the concepts of sati, mindfulness, and sampajañña, clear comprehension. The practitioner must always know clearly what he or she is doing and why.
On the level of mind, this is the deepest level. The mind should not be allowed to “scatter” among desires, chaotic thoughts, or states of ignorance.
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