Lzh Mi Bu Vb Sk 20Swaying (2nd)

Explanation of the Dutiyakāyappacālaka Discourse (The Second on Swaying the Body)

Background

The Dutiyakāyappacālaka Discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline for bhikkhunīs, in the Pali Canon. This is the detailed legal section concerning rules of practice for female monastics in the early Buddhist Sangha. The original title “Dutiyakāyappacālaka” means “the second on the swaying of the body” or “the second on bodily movement.”

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, these regulations were laid down by the Buddha when he saw specific situations occurring in the Sangha, in order to maintain discipline and protect the honor of female monastics and the Buddhist community. Each disciplinary regulation has a detailed cause (nidāna), expressing the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion for his disciples.

Main Content

The specific content of the Dutiyakāyappacālaka Discourse has not been fully translated in the existing material. However, based on the structure of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, regulations related to “the swaying of the body” (kāyappacālaka) usually concern the physical actions of bhikkhunīs in daily-life situations.

According to the Theravāda tradition, these regulations may relate to inappropriate bodily gestures, movements, or ways of moving that could cause misunderstanding or offend the discipline of monastic dignity. The term “second” (dutiya) suggests that this is a repeated case or a variation of a previously stated rule, showing the thorough method of teaching in the Buddha-Dharma, leaving out no situation that female monastics might encounter.

The regulations in the Vinaya are not punishments but educational practices, intended to instruct bhikkhunīs in self-control, mindfulness, and respect. They reflect the basic principle of the Vinaya Piṭaka: preserving moral conduct, protecting the Sangha, and building faith in the community.