Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Sk 81Soiling
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sāmisa
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sāmisa Scripture: Material Things and Spiritual Purity
Background
The Sāmisa scripture is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, reflecting regulations on the way of life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. The term “Sāmisa” in Pāli means “things that are material” or “things connected with flesh,” indicating matters belonging to the worldly and defiled realm of material desire.
In the context of Theravāda Buddhist practice, this scripture was taught to educate monks and nuns in distinguishing between what is truly beneficial on the path of practice and what is only a temporary temptation of the world. It is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, helping to maintain the discipline and spirit of practice of the Sangha.
Main Content
The Sāmisa scripture focuses on describing the things that one gone forth should not pursue. Through stories or direct teachings, the scripture points out that bhikkhus should avoid matters related to sensual desire, possessions, fame, or other forms of worldly esteem.
The emphasis of the scripture is the clear distinction between “Sāmisa” (things with food, materiality, sensuality) and “Nirāmisa” (things not material, sacred). According to the Pāli Canon, “Nirāmisa” is related to genuine practices: observing moral discipline (sīla), calming concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā). These are what bring true liberation, not temporary desires.
The scripture also emphasizes that the mind of the practitioner must be purified of what is tangible and perceivable through the senses. Material gain, fame, and praise from others are traps by which the mind is drawn away, harming progress in practice and the purity of virtue.
Practical Meaning
The Sāmisa scripture teaches us an important lesson about discernment in modern practice.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.