Lzh Mu Bu Pm Pc 10Annoyance
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vilekhana
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The Vilekhana Sutta (Provocation) — An Exposition from the Vinaya Piṭaka
Background
The Vilekhana Sutta (vilekhana, meaning “annoying, provoking”) is a legal provision in the traditional Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, belonging to the Pātimokkha, the collected rules of discipline. This text originates in events within the community of monks and nuns of the Buddha, when problems of inappropriate conduct among bhikkhus arose and needed to be regulated by communal rules.
In the context of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, vilekhana refers to actions or speech intended to trouble, provoke, or agitate other monastics in the Sangha. This is not a major offense, but it is conduct inconsistent with communal ethics and the harmony of the community of practice.
Main Content
This rule states that a bhikkhu should not intend to cause discomfort, annoyance, or irritation to other monks through speech or action. “Provocative” conduct (vilekhana) includes such things as displaying irritability, repeating unpleasant words, deliberately acting contrary to another’s wishes, or maintaining a hostile attitude hidden beneath an outwardly solemn appearance.
The purpose of this rule is to maintain peace, calm, and mutual respect within the Sangha. According to the Theravāda tradition, a community of practice that lacks harmony loses its collective strength and its capacity for effective cultivation. Therefore, provocative conduct, though it may appear small, is a threat to the foundation of the community.
If a bhikkhu violates this rule, he needs to confess the fault before the community or before a verified monk. Confession of fault (paṭidesanā) is the way that monk purifies his mind and restores trust in the community.
Practical Meaning
The Vilekhana Sutta teaches us the importance of emotional maturity and restraint in speech.
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