Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 149Lodgings
Pāli / Sanskrit:Āvasathavihāra
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Exposition of the Āvasathavihāra Sutta (The Sutta on Lodgings)
Background
The Āvasathavihāra Sutta is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha’s Dharma. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of rules of conduct and discipline for the monastic order, the community of those who have gone forth under the Buddha. This sutta concerns regulations relating to the lodgings of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, important factors in maintaining order and communal harmony.
In the ancient social context when the Buddha was still present in the world, the monastic order always needed specific regulations in order to live purely and devote itself to study and practice. Lodging was not only a place to rest the body, but also a basic condition for cultivating concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Therefore, the Buddha and his disciples established principles concerning the selection and use of lodgings.
Main Content
The Āvasathavihāra Sutta deals with practical issues concerning how lodgings are selected, and how buildings such as monasteries (vihāra), separate dwelling huts (kuṭi), or communal structures are built, repaired, and used. The regulations ensure that these places are used for the proper purpose of practice, that communal property is not abused, and that the purity of the monastic order is preserved.
The sutta also defines standards concerning who has the right to use which lodgings, and how disputes or conflicts in the community are to be avoided. In addition, there are regulations concerning preservation, repair, and the return of lodgings when one leaves. These requirements may seem simple, but in truth they express the highest discipline: every small detail serves the greater purpose of practice and awakening.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of rigid commands, but wise guidance established by the Buddha after seeing specific situations arise. Every rule has an origin story, showing the process by which the Buddha distilled the practical experience of the monastic order.
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