Lzh Mu Bu Vb Sk 19Na paryastikākṛta pravekṣyāma

Explanation of the Na paryastikākṛta pravekṣyāma Sutta

Background

This sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the rules concerning Buddhist nuns. The Vinaya Piṭaka is a collection of moral and disciplinary guidance laid down by the Buddha for the renunciant community, intended to protect the purity of the Sangha and maintain harmony in the community of practice.

The title “Na paryastikākṛta pravekṣyāma,” translated according to its sense as “One must not enter in a crosswise posture,” reflects a specific standard of conduct established by the Buddha. Its background arises from situations in the bhikkhunī community, where rules regarding conduct, bodily posture, and modes of action were set forth in detail. These are not arbitrary rules, but express the respect, nobility, and self-restraint of a true practitioner.

Main Content

The sutta states that nuns are not permitted to enter sacred spaces, such as a shrine hall, meditation hall, or chanting place, or to communicate with senior monastics while in postures that are not upright or are crosswise. Specifically, placing the legs or body in a crosswise posture (paryastika, a Pāli/Sanskrit term indicating a slanted or asymmetrical form) is considered lacking in respect.

Rules of this kind may appear detailed to the point of being minor, but they reflect a profound principle: balance, uprightness, and sincerity in action. Bodily posture is not merely a physical matter, but also reveals one’s mental state. A person sitting crosswise and unsteady suggests anxiety, lack of concentration, or lack of reverence. Conversely, sitting upright, symmetrical, and orderly is an expression of lucid mindfulness (sati) and concentration (samādhi).

Practical Meaning

The sutta teaches that Buddhist practice is a comprehensive undertaking, not separating body from mind. Every action, however small, is an opportunity to cultivate a joyful, tranquil, and altruistic mind.