Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Sk 103Holding a Weapon

THE SCRIPTURE ON HOLDING A WEAPON (Āvudhapāṇi)

Context

The Scripture on Holding a Weapon (Āvudhapāṇi) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Pātimokkha section, the foundational principles of virtue for the Buddhist community of monks and nuns. This Vinaya was promulgated by the Buddha to preserve harmony, pure practice, and mental development within the Sangha.

The scripture is classified among the training rules (sikkhāpada) related to the physical demeanor and actions of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. In particular, this rule addresses holding or using weapons, an act forbidden in Buddhist ethics because it directly violates the spirit of the fifth precept (pañcasīla) and the teaching of non-killing (ahiṁsā).

Through specific stories in the tradition, the Buddha taught that those who have gone forth should stay far away from violence, the pursuit of power, and every form of weaponizing thought or action.

Main Content

The rule on holding a weapon states that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs are not permitted to hold, produce, store, or use weapons such as swords, knives, bows and arrows, or any instrument of harm. This applies not only to physical weapons but also extends in meaning to avoiding "mental weapons": thoughts of enmity, greed, and ill will.

The scripture highlights that violation of this rule leads to pārājika or dukkaṭa, a grave offense or a violation obstructing attainment in practice. The deeper reason is that the act of holding a weapon characterizes a state of mind governed by anger (dosa), ready to cause harm, and reflecting an absence of loving-kindness (mettā).

Ancient commentaries such as the Samantapāsādikā, the orthodox commentary on the Vinaya, explain that this rule is intended to protect both renunciants and laypeople from the potential danger of violence, while preserving the image of the Sangha as a peaceful community.