Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 30Seeing a Mobilized Army
Pāli / Sanskrit:Uyyuttasenā
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SUTRA ON THE MOBILIZED ARMY (Uyyuttasenā)
Background
The Uyyuttasenā rule is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha rules of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga. This is a disciplinary rule recorded to guide female monastics in practicing purity according to the path taught by the Buddha.
The story begins when the Buddha was at Sāvatthī, surrounded by the Sangha. At that time, there was an event concerning the observation of a mobilized army, a matter of action and awareness that could create karmic consequences for a monastic.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of isolated prohibitions, but consists of concrete stories taught by the Buddha so that disciples might understand the causes and effects of each action. The Uyyuttasenā rule reflects a subtle consideration between vigilance (appamāda) and the relinquishing of attachment (anusaya).
Main Content
In this rule, the issue raised is whether observing a mobilized army (uyyuttasenā) constitutes a breach of discipline. This is a situation a monastic may encounter in ordinary life when living near areas of conflict or places where armies gather.
The Buddha taught that to determine whether an act gives rise to a disciplinary fault, one must consider the volition (cetanā) of the person acting. If a monastic watches an army out of curiosity or simply from a desire to look, this may be regarded as a definite violation of the rule of keeping away from entertainments and worldly ambitions.
However, if the monastic sees the army unintentionally and without seeking it out, or if the observation occurs for necessary reasons, such as having to pass through that area, then the degree of offense is different. This reflects the Buddhist principle that karma is produced precisely from consciousness and intention.
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