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The Sutta on Defilement (Sāmisa)

Exposition According to the Theravada Tradition

Background

The Sutta on Defilement (Sāmisa) belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pāli Canon, reflecting the concern of the Buddha and the early Sangha for practical matters in the life of practice. The word “Sāmisa” means “mixed,” “defiled,” or “blended,” indicating situations in which the actions or intentions of a practitioner are mixed with impure motives.

The Vinaya Pitaka was compiled to guide the community of monks and nuns according to strict yet reasonable regulations. These are not merely formal rules, but expressions of noble ethics in the Buddha-Dharma, intended to protect the spirit of practice and maintain harmony in the religious community.

Main Content

The Sutta on Defilement deals with cases in which the actions of a monastic appear outwardly proper, but the intention (cetanā) or true purpose is mixed with impure causal factors. This is directly related to the concept of “kammajňa” (action that bears result) in Theravada Buddha-Dharma: action is assessed through the initiating intention.

The situations mentioned may include actions performed for reputation or out of fear of criticism; the practice of morality or concentration motivated by personal ambition rather than directed toward nirvana; or seemingly altruistic actions that in reality contain hidden self-interested motives.

The Buddha emphasized that the purity (sucī) of an action does not lie in outward appearance, but in the purity of the mind. A deed may seem compassionate, but if it is mixed with greed, hatred, and delusion (lobha, dosa, moha), it cannot lead to liberation. Conversely, an ordinary action, if motivated by unconditional compassion and wisdom, can bring wholesome results.

Practical Meaning

For modern practitioners, the Sutta on Defilement teaches us to examine the true motives behind our actions.