Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Sk 71Nojjighrantaḥ

Nojjighrantaḥ — An Explanation

Background

The Nojjighrantaḥ belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the original Buddhist tradition, forming an important part of the Dhamma-vinaya established by the Blessed One Gotama for the Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a code of disciplinary rules but also a practice of cultivation with profound educational significance, aimed at building a monastic community that is fully developed in virtue and conduct.

The term "Nojjighrantaḥ" carries the meaning of "not crooked" or "not bent, not twisted" (from na + ujjigharati), referring to the state of the mind and conduct of one who has gone forth. This is one of the fundamental principles within the Vinaya, relating to the quality of straightforwardness (ujju, uju-citta) in one who walks the Buddha's path.

Main Content

The Nojjighrantaḥ teaches that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī must cultivate in such a way that mind, speech, and action are not "crooked" or "devious." This means not deceiving, not defrauding, not concealing one's faults, and not speaking falsely in order to obscure them from one's teacher or from the Blessed One.

Within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the notion of "straightforwardness" (ujju) as opposed to "crookedness" (nijjigharantaḥ) is the very heart of proper cultivation. One who has gone forth should not employ subtle stratagems to evade responsibility, nor seek to secretly transgress the Vinaya. Such are the "crooked" actions that are prohibited. Instead, a true monastic must live openly and straightforwardly with the Sangha, with one's teachers, and above all with oneself.

The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that this requirement is not meant to impose hardship upon the practitioner, but rather to protect the integrity of the Sangha and to foster trust within the community. When those who have gone forth act in a straightforward and transparent manner, the Sangha remains unified, free from latent conflicts arising from concealment.