Lzh Mu Bu Pm Sk 48Swinging the Arms (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyabāhuppacālaka
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Explanation of the Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta (Swinging the Arms for the Second Time)
Context
The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the collection that regulates conduct and the principles of practice in the Buddha’s teaching. This sutta belongs to the Theravāda tradition and records the Buddha’s guidance concerning the distinction between unintentional action and intentional action in the life of practice.
The historical context shows that after the Buddha established the Sangha, the community of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, he needed to address practical issues arising from collective life. The question of the boundary between voluntary and unintentional action, as well as careless movements in body language, was raised. The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta is one of his answers to this matter.
Main Content
The title “Swinging the Arms for the Second Time” (Dutiyabāhuppacālaka) refers to a specific situation: when a bhikkhu swings his arms repeatedly or continuously, the question arises whether this action constitutes an offense under the Vinaya Piṭaka.
According to the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, the Buddha clearly distinguished between intentional actions (sacetanika), sudden actions, and mechanical movements not connected with the mind. This sutta goes deeply into the field of the Pāṭimokkha, the basic code of rules for bhikkhus, where the nature of intention (cetanā) in each action is carefully examined.
When the arm is swung a second time, if the action does not arise from an intention to violate, lacks clear self-awareness, and is only an automatic or accidental repetition, then according to the Buddha’s teaching there is no disciplinary offense. However, if there is intention or deliberate action, the violation is determined according to each specific case and the true purpose of the one performing the action.
Practical Meaning
The Dutiyabāhuppacālaka Sutta teaches us a profound lesson on the role of intention (cetanā) in Buddhism. An action has moral significance only when it is motivated by intention accompanied by full awareness.
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