Lzh Mu Bi Pm Sk 89Na aśvārūḍhāya

The Na aśvārūḍhāya Sutta — An Explanation According to the Theravāda Tradition

Background

The Na aśvārūḍhāya Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the normative body of literature of the early Buddhist Sangha. The original title means “not those mounted on horses” or “those who do not ride horses,” referring to a specific situation in the life of the Sangha for which the Buddha established an instructional rule.

According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka was recited after the great council following the Buddha’s passing, recording the teachings and ethical rules that the Buddha established for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. Each rule (Pātimokkha) arose from a specific event: when a monk or nun committed a fault or acted in an unworthy way, the Buddha would then set forth a disciplinary rule. This reveals a feature of Buddhism: its discipline arises from reality, from the need to guide and educate a religious community.

Main Content

The Na aśvārūḍhāya Sutta relates to unworthy actions or attitudes of those gone forth in the life of practice. Specifically, this sutta concerns those who regard themselves as “horse riders”—people of power, high status, or superior ability—and therefore do not follow the rules of the Sangha.

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, “horse riders” metaphorically represent monks and nuns who are proud and arrogant, thinking themselves beyond the rules or not needing to observe discipline like others. The Buddha reminds them that within the Sangha community, no one may regard himself as “higher” than or “beyond” the basic ethical rules. From a newly ordained monk to an arhat, all must observe the Pātimokkha—the collected precepts.

This sutta affirms a fundamental principle: equality before ethical discipline. Whether a senior monk of great merit or a young person newly gone forth, the discipline of the Sangha cannot be treated flexibly or arbitrarily. This is the foundation for maintaining the unity, purity, and order of the community.