Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 97Within Their Own Country
Pāli / Sanskrit:Antoraṭṭha
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The Antoraṭṭha Sutra: Discipline Within One’s Own Country
Background
The Antoraṭṭha Sutra (Antoraṭṭha Pācittiya) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda canon, specifically in the Pācittiya section, concerning offenses that require confession. It is one of the detailed rules in the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the Sutta Vibhaṅga, used to govern the life of the Buddhist monastic community.
The background from which this rule arose is connected with issues of territory for practice and the rights of local monastic communities. In the early period of the Sangha, as Buddhism spread widely through different regions, disputes arose over the right to teach, the management of property, and matters connected with the practice territory of religious communities. The Antoraṭṭha rule was therefore established to protect the rights of local monastics and to maintain order within the Sangha.
Main Content
The Antoraṭṭha rule states that a monk must not infringe upon the rights, especially the right to teach and to manage religious affairs, of other monks within a territory that has been recognized and entrusted to them by the Sangha. Specifically, if an outside monk returns to a region where he once practiced, he must not presumptuously accept students or perform clerical duties without the consent of the local monastic community.
The nature of this offense is Pācittiya, an offense requiring confession before one monk in the case of nuns, or before two monks in the case of bhikkhus. It is not the gravest offense, but neither is it slight, because it violates the principle of harmonious governance within the Sangha.
This sutra reflects an important principle: respect for the lawful rights of others, especially in the context of a religious community. It does not permit selfish actions or encroachment upon the rights of others, even when such actions may appear to be motivated by other reasons.
Practical Meaning
The Antoraṭṭha Sutra teaches us that Buddhist discipline is not only a set of personal rules, but also a set of principles that protect the community.
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