Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Sk 47Swaying the Head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sīsappacālaka
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THE SCRIPTURE ON SWAYING THE HEAD (Sīsappacālaka)
Background
The Scripture on Swaying the Head (Sīsappacālaka) is cited in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Sutta Vibhaṅga, where the Buddha’s disciplinary regulations for the Sangha and his disciples are preserved. This scripture records an event in the process of establishing Sangha discipline, when bhikkhus were still learning and had not yet fully mastered the rules of practice.
The background of the scripture concerns inappropriate actions within the Sangha community. Specifically, these are matters requiring correction in attitude and action within the Samgha, the monastic community. The name "Sīsappacālaka," meaning swaying the head, indicates an action considered incompatible or disrespectful in the monastic context.
Main Content
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, the action of "swaying the head" (sīsappacālaka) is recorded as a form of expressive attitude that bhikkhus should not perform. This is not an accidental movement, but an intentional action reflecting doubt, disrespect, or rejection toward the Buddha’s teachings or the legitimate decisions of the Samgha.
This action is regarded as a violation of the Dhamma, because it carries the mental meaning of rejection or resistance. The Vinaya Piṭaka prescribes that bhikkhus should practice complete respect (sambahula) toward the Tathāgata, toward the elders, and toward the Samgha. Swaying the head, though a small gesture, violates the principle of sīla, the ethical foundation of monastics.
This scripture teaches that every gesture and every action, however small, reflects our state of mind. An attitude of doubt or rejection, when expressed through action, not only harms oneself but also harms harmony in the Samgha.
Practical Meaning
The lesson from the Sīsappacālaka scripture is the emphasis on the importance of complete respect (sampasādana) in practice.
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