Lzh Mi Bu Vb Sk 35Not Enter Proudly

The Sutta “One Should Not Enter with Arrogance” — An Explanation

Background

The Vinaya Piṭaka contains the rules of practice that the Buddha established for the community of monks and nuns in order to maintain discipline, harmony, and conditions for successful practice. These rules are not arbitrary prohibitions, but arose from specific situations in the early community of monks and nuns, when certain behaviors caused disorder, damaged harmony, or obstructed the path of liberation.

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the essential spirit is not mechanical obedience, but understanding the deeper reason for each rule. The sutta “One Should Not Enter with Arrogance” (Asucira Vb Sk 35) belongs to the section on Women Practicing the Dharma (Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga), reflecting the Buddha’s concern for the conduct of nuns in sometimes collective life, especially in situations that caused conflict or diminished respect.

Main Content

This sutta teaches that bhikkhunīs should not enter a place, whether a building, a meeting, or a communal space, with a proud, self-important, or conceited attitude (māna). This action is regarded as a breach of the rule because it brings negative consequences for harmony and undermines the basic humility of Buddhist practice.

“Arrogance” here is not simply pride or confidence, but māna, a mental state regarded as a defilement (kilesa), a wrong view that covers wisdom and creates an artificial separation between oneself and others. It leads to arrogant action, refusal to learn, or displays of false superiority before other nuns.

The reason behind this rule is clear: in a practicing community, the presence of arrogance creates conflict, wounds the self-respect of others, and weakens the spirit of the Sangha, the collective harmony based on mutual respect and a shared understanding of the goal of liberation.