Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 113Nānuśāset
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nānuśāset
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Explanation of the Nānuśāset Sutta
Background
The Nānuśāset Sutta (Pāli: Nānusāsana) is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, belonging to the Pātimokkha Sādhana, the rules of the monastic path. This sutta lies within the carefully structured system of training regulations, composed to guide bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs on the path of purity and discipline.
The background of this sutta is connected with the Buddha’s teaching activity after his awakening. As the Sangha grew, the need to maintain communal discipline became urgent. The regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka are not arbitrary impositions, but guidelines born of wisdom and compassion, intended to protect each person’s practice and the harmony of the community.
Main Content
The term “Nānuśāset” (or Nānusāsana) means “one should not instruct” or “matters not to be instructed.” This sutta refers to situations or actions about which the Buddha gave no specific instruction in the context of reciting the Pātimokkha, or to faults that bhikkhus should not commit because of lack of guidance or because of failure to follow the teachings.
The content of this sutta concerns lesser offenses among the Pācittiya rules or training rules. These actions may not be the most serious offenses, yet they still reflect a lack of respect for discipline and for the Buddha’s teachings. The sutta discusses how bhikkhus should act in ambiguous situations or in matters not clearly regulated, and it emphasizes the importance of adapting oneself to the spirit of the Dharma, not merely observing the letter.
One important aspect is that the sutta teaches disciples to observe the nature of actions, understand the intention (cetanā) behind them, and adjust their conduct so that it accords with the six principles of harmony in the Sangha, the six harmonies of the community of practice.
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