Lzh Mu Bu Vb Sk 14Lowered Eyes

Sutta on Lowered Eyes

Okkhittacakkhu — Vinaya Piṭaka

Background

Okkhittacakkhu, lowered eyes or downward gaze, is a rule in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline for bhikkhunīs, belonging to the practice of female monastics traced back to the Buddha’s time. It was a basic rule of practice in the community of female monastics. This is recorded in the Theravāda tradition to guide dignified conduct and self-mastery over the eyes, one of the foundations of noble discipline.

While the Buddha was still alive, he often reminded his disciples of the importance of the senses in practice. The eye, one of the six faculties (indriya), is the doorway through which the mind most easily becomes scattered and drawn by visible forms. Therefore, managing the gaze is not an extreme command, but practical wisdom: lowering the gaze is a preliminary meditative practice that all monks and nuns should remember.

Main Content

According to this rule, when bhikkhunīs walk, stand up, sit, or carry out daily activities, they should keep their gaze lowered about six spans ahead, rather than looking around in search of things or letting the eyes wander restlessly. This does not mean lowering the head completely, but maintaining gentle mindfulness and self-awareness without falling into emotion or desire.

This rule is also associated with indriyasaṃvara, guarding the sense faculties, an important part of sīla, moral discipline, in the Noble Eightfold Path. It is not fearfulness or avoidance of the world, but liberation from being governed by emotion.

Practitioners do not follow this rule merely because it is a command, but because they understand that an uncontrolled gaze is the starting point of greed, hatred, and delusion. The eye sees, then the mind conceives; conception gives rise to desire, and desire gives rise to suffering.