Lzh Mu Bi Vb Ss 7Walking Alone to the Next Village
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ekagāmantara
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Ekagāmantara Sutta: The Solitary Journey to the Next Village
Background
The Ekagāmantara Sutta (going alone one village away) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Samupphannavagga section of the Sangha discipline — the part regulating the life of practice of bhikkhunīs. The fact that this sutta is placed in the Vinaya Piṭaka rather than the Sutta Piṭaka shows that it is directly related to rules of conduct and Sangha discipline, the foundation of training within the Theravāda Buddhist community.
The historical background of this sutta comes from the earliest period of the Sangha, when bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs still had to face practical challenges in the life of wandering monks — practitioners seeking the Dharma on the road. The sutta shows the wisdom of the Buddha in balancing spiritual freedom with necessary restrictions to protect the integrity of the Sangha.
Main Content
Ekagāmantara depicts the situation of a bhikkhunī or bhikkhu intending to travel alone to the next village for alms or Dharma practice. This sutta prescribes that a practitioner should not go alone too far — specifically, not beyond the distance of “one village” (gāmantara) — without permission from a teacher or a senior monastic. If one must go beyond this distance, at least one other person should accompany them.
This regulation reflects a practical principle: monastics need to be reasonably supervised to avoid potential dangers — losing the way, falling ill, or entering situations inappropriate to religious conduct. At the same time, it protects the community’s trust in the discipline of the Sangha. The sutta does not state a specific penalty, but implies that violating this regulation would be an offense against the Dhamma, such as dukkaṭa or similar levels of offense, depending on severity.
Practical Meaning
The Ekagāmantara Sutta teaches us about the balance between independence and community, between freedom and responsibility.
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