Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 97Within Their Own Country

Antoraṭṭha Discourse (Within One’s Own Country)

Background

The Antoraṭṭha discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha, and expresses the deep concern of Early Buddhism for the governance of the monastic community. This discourse records a disciplinary rule concerning the wrongful actions of bhikkhus, especially actions that may occur within the self-governing territory of a monastery or community of practice.

The history of Buddhism shows that, from the Buddha’s time onward, rules of conduct were not established to constrain, but to protect the purity of the Sangha community, arising from practical need. The Antoraṭṭha discourse reflects this stage of development, when the monastic community expanded and needed concrete guidance regarding local boundaries and collective responsibility.

Main Content

The Antoraṭṭha discourse revolves around the principle that offenses occurring “within one’s own country” (antoraṭṭha), that is, within the recognized territory of a community of practice, must be handled according to specific Vinaya regulations. The concept of “country” (raṭṭha) here is not only geographical, but is also related to the Vinaya concept of “sīmā” (legal boundary).

This rule concerns one of the Pācittiya offenses in the Pātimokkha. Pācittiya offenses are lighter than Saṅghādisesa offenses but still require confession before the Sangha. The discourse establishes that if a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī commits this offense within the self-governing boundary, the handling and confession will follow a certain procedure.

The principle of “within one’s own country” emphasizes that territory and the context of an action have legal significance in the Vinaya. It distinguishes between actions occurring in places where monastics have authority to handle them and situations with unclear boundaries or outside the community’s scope of governance.