Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 103Outside Their Own Country

Tiroraṭṭha Sutra: Those Outside the Country

Context

The Tiroraṭṭha Sutra (Tiroraṭṭha, “outside the region”) is one of the important rules belonging to the Pācittiya, the collection of rules on offenses requiring consideration in the Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism. The context in which this rule appeared is connected with the development of the Sangha in the early period after the Buddha’s nirvana.

In the early period, as the Buddha-Dharma began to spread, bhikkhus practicing the Dharma in different regions often encountered complex situations related to local boundaries and recognition by the Sangha. The Tiroraṭṭha Sutra refers to regulations concerning bhikkhus, especially those outside their own country or outside the area designated by the Sangha, in relation to actions or decisions concerning the life of practice.

Main Content

The specific content of this sutra has not yet been fully translated in existing documents, but according to the general context of the Pācittiya, rules on offenses requiring consideration, the Tiroraṭṭha Sutra concerns principles of recognition and responsibility for bhikkhus when operating outside the boundaries of their own Sangha.

Specifically, the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka stipulates that bhikkhus must follow decisions made by the Sangha in that geographical area. When a bhikkhu comes from another locality (tiroraṭṭha, outside the region), he must still respect local regulations and cannot act arbitrarily in his own way without the consent of, or notification to, the local Sangha.

This rule emphasizes harmony (samaggī) and observance of common discipline, ensuring that members of the Sangha, regardless of where they come from, are subject to common principles of governance. This protects the consistency of the Sangha and avoids conflicts arising from uncoordinated actions.

Practical Meaning

The Tiroraṭṭha Sutra teaches us a valuable lesson about compromise and respect for the community.