Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Pc 48Hitting

Explanation of the Pahāra Sutta (The Rule on the Act of Hitting)

Background

The Pahāra rule (Pāli: Pahāra, from a root meaning “to strike”) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically the Prātimokṣa — the precious rules of the Buddhist monastic community of monks and nuns. This rule is recorded in the bhikkhunī Vinaya system of early schools, especially in the Theravāda tradition.

The historical background for this rule arises from specific events in the earliest Sangha community. The Buddha Śākyamuni, with unsurpassed wisdom, witnessed wrongful conduct among disciples. From this, he established rules of life (Vinaya) to protect the essence of the Sangha, nourish the faith of the lay community, and help those gone forth attain liberation.

The rule concerning the act of striking a person is one of the basic prohibitions (Pācittiya — actions that require confession and discipline). It reflects a profound principle: those who have gone forth to seek the path, entering the way of renouncing violence, must completely abandon actions that cause physical harm to anyone.

Main Content

The Pahāra rule prohibits a specific action: a bhikkhunī must not strike another person, whether a bhikkhu, a bhikkhunī, or a layperson. This action, whether done with light or heavy force, constitutes a violation of the Prātimokṣa rule.

Although the recorded content is brief, its lasting meaning is profound. This rule does not only prohibit direct violent action; it also upholds the principle of nonviolence, or ahiṃsā, a basic realization of the Buddhist path. A bhikkhu or bhikkhunī, upon entering the Sangha, has vowed to live according to the Five Precepts (Pañcasīla) at a minimum, of which “not killing” is the foundation.

The prohibition against striking another person has no exception in the Theravāda tradition. Even in cases of self-defense or protecting another, if one strikes with the hand, it still constitutes an offense.