Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 63Entering a Village at the Wrong Time
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vikālagāmappavisana
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DISCOURSE ON ENTERING A VILLAGE AT THE WRONG TIME
(Vikālagāmappavisana Sutta)
Background
This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, especially among the rules concerning appropriate conduct for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. It reflects the deep concern of Theravāda Buddha-Dharma for maintaining communal discipline and protecting the honor of the Sangha. In the context of ancient India, monastics entering and leaving villages at unsuitable times could give rise to unnecessary suspicions about their intentions, harming the image of the Buddhist community.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is built upon specific rules established by the Buddha to protect integrity and internal discipline in the Sangha. This rule is not an unreasonable restriction but an expression of wisdom: religious practice must be protected from suspicions and inaccurate assumptions on the part of laypeople and society.
Main Content
The rule “Entering a village at the wrong time” (Vikālagāmappavisana) is directed toward a basic principle: bhikkhus should not enter inhabited areas at unsuitable hours, especially in the evening or at times when people ordinarily should not be publicly active. The main reason for this rule is to avoid situations that could be misunderstood or raise doubts about the integrity of the practice.
According to the Theravāda tradition, observing this rule is regarded as part of the ethics of the Pātimokkha (precepts), the basic restraints that each bhikkhu must keep. When the Buddha established this rule, he was concerned not only with outward action but also with the deeper motive behind it. Entering a village at unsuitable times may arise from desire, anger, or unwholesome motives, although at times there may be valid reasons.
However, this rule also has exceptions acknowledged by Buddhism.
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