Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 135Letting the Time Expire

Sutta on Letting the Time Pass (Kālaatikkamana)

Background

Kālaatikkamana, letting the time pass, is a prohibition belonging to the Vinaya Pitaka, specifically the Pātimokkha Samvarabhanḍa, the representative code. This is the section of discipline concerning actions that bhikkhus must avoid in the course of practice and communal life in the Sangha.

This sutta appears in the context of the Buddha continuing to shape a healthy religious community through disciplinary rules. These prohibitions are not arbitrary restrictions; they are measures that protect the integrity of the Sangha and ensure that monastics do not create unnecessary obstacles to practice.

“Letting the time pass” (kālaatikkamana) refers to situations in which a bhikkhu does not perform the proper action or procedure within the prescribed time. This is an important disciplinary matter because it concerns the initiative and responsibility of each individual in the community of practice.

Main Content

According to the early Vinaya tradition, the act of letting the time pass is defined as when a bhikkhu knows clearly of a time limit or a procedure that must be performed, but intentionally or through negligence fails to perform it within the prescribed period. This often applies to activities such as reporting offenses, performing regular parisuddhi purification rites, or observing restrictions related to residence in a particular place.

The laws of Buddhism are not intended to punish people but to educate them. When a bhikkhu lets the time pass, it shows a lack of attention or lack of respect for rules that the community has agreed upon. Such behavior may negatively affect harmony and common discipline (Sanghasamaggī).

The Vinaya is not merely a set of administrative rules; it is a means for building firm moral character. Observing deadlines and limits reflects mindfulness (sati) and understanding of the consequences (hetu-phala) of action.