Lzh Mi Bu Vb Sk 34Swinging the Arms (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyabāhuppacālaka
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Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta (The Second Shaking of the Arms)
Background
This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the analysis concerning bhikkhunīs. It is one of the prohibitions related to bodily conduct in the course of practice by nuns. The background of this rule reflects a specific situation in the monastery, where the Buddha observed a bhikkhunī performing a repeated action that he regarded as not in accord with the spirit of the Holy Dharma.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a collection of formal rules of conduct, but a practical means to protect harmony in the community of monks and nuns and to maintain dignity in practice. Each prohibition has a root story (aṭṭhakathā) explaining why the Buddha established it.
Main Content
The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta refers to the action of “shaking the arms a second time” (dutiya-bāhu-ppacālaka). The specific content of this sutta has not been fully translated, but based on the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, it concerns a bodily behavior that bhikkhunīs should not perform in certain situations. Shaking the arms, if repeated unconsciously or driven by psychological agitation, is regarded as an expression of a mind unable to concentrate (akuppacittā).
This often occurs when a practitioner is carried away by heedless habits or unconsidered movements. The Buddha always emphasized that every action of one who studies the Dharma should arise from a mind of mindfulness (sati) and concentration (samādhi). When a bhikkhunī repeatedly shakes her arms, this may reflect the absence of mindfulness, or in some cases may be a sign of mental distress that needs to be addressed through Dharma practice.
Practical Meaning
The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta carries a profound lesson on the role of mindfulness in every moment of the life of practice.
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