Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 113Not Following Mentor

Sutta on Not Following the Guide

Pavattinī-nānubandhana

Background

This sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Patimokkha, the basic training code for bhikkhunīs. It is one of the important regulations concerning discipline in the monastic community, reflecting how the Buddha guided his female disciples to maintain collective practice.

The historical background shows that when Buddhist women began to go forth as bhikkhunīs, issues of discipline and communal unity became urgent. Failing to follow the guidance of a teacher (pavattinī, a guide, usually a more experienced bhikkhunī) could lead to serious consequences for both the individual and the monastic community. Therefore, the Buddha established clear rules to protect harmony and progress on the path of practice.

Main Content

This regulation concerns the case of a bhikkhunī who does not follow the guidance of the appointed teacher. According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, when a bhikkhunī is newly ordained, she needs a teacher (upajjhāyinī) to guide her in the Dharma, the Vinaya, and the rules of monastic life. This relationship is not merely formal, but is the foundation of disciplined practice.

The act of “not following” (nānubandhana) here is not simply disobedience, but refusal or neglect of essential guidance concerning practice, daily life, and the rules of conduct in the monastic community. This may include ignoring instruction on character, actions, speech, or things to avoid in the monastic life.

According to this rule, if a bhikkhunī deliberately fails to follow the reasonable instructions of her teacher, she is disciplined according to the degree of the offense (pāyantika, an act requiring confession). This level requires her to confess her fault publicly before the whole bhikkhunī community and undertake concrete steps for correction.