Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Sk 51Na hastasaṁlagnikaya pravekṣyāma

Exposition of the Na Hastasaṁlagnikaya Pravekṣyāma Scripture

Background

The Na Hastasaṁlagnikaya Pravekṣyāma scripture appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddha-Dharma tradition, the normative textual body for those who have gone forth in the Sangha. The title carries the meaning "We shall not enter places where hands and feet are bound," a symbol of restraint and of avoiding circumstances that bring temptation or violation of discipline.

In historical context, the regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka were developed to protect the independence of monks and nuns, as well as the honor and purity of the Buddhist community. The Vinaya scriptures are not dry legislation, but rational guidance reflecting real situations encountered by the Buddha and his disciples in the course of practice and spreading the Buddha-Dharma.

Main Content

This scripture belongs to the group of prohibitions concerning actions and places that monks and nuns should not enter. The phrase "hastasaṁlagnika" indicates circumstances of being bound or restricted physically and mentally, places with the risk of weakening concentration or leading to violation of the precepts.

According to the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this scripture instructs those who have gone forth to avoid environments where freedom of action is restricted, or circumstances likely to make practitioners passive and lose control of the mind. This includes avoiding dark, enclosed places, or situations requiring close contact with laypeople, especially circumstances related to sensual desire.

The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that purity does not lie only in external acts, such as washing the body, but also in actively avoiding situations that risk defiling the mind. This scripture is a typical example of the principle: "before a fault occurs, prevention is already present."