Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Sk 6Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ
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Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ Sutta — The Curse of the Young Elephant
Background
The Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ Sutta (Pāli: Na hastisuṇḍaṁ) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha section, the list of 227 or 250 disciplinary rules that Bhikkhus (male monastics) must observe. This is not an independent discourse, but an illustrative story concerning a violation of discipline and its consequences.
According to the Theravāda tradition, this story appears when the Buddha teaches about prohibitions related to behavior unsuitable for the spiritual life of one who has gone forth. The historical context shows that the story was recounted to instruct the Buddha’s disciples about the inevitable consequences of violating basic ethical principles.
Main Content
The Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ Sutta tells of a Bhikkhu whose mind was governed by unwholesome desires. Through a profound metaphor, the discourse uses the image of a young elephant and its trunk, symbols of strength and greed, to illustrate how unrighteous sensual desires (kāma-chanda) can lead a monastic astray.
The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in current Vipassana materials, but according to the general context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the discourse makes clear that when a Bhikkhu allows ambitions for worldly sensual pleasure, or dissatisfaction with the life of practice, to overwhelm the mind, that person has taken upon themselves the “chains” of suffering. No one can liberate them except their own right mindfulness (sammā-mindfulness) and wisdom.
The discourse emphasizes that prohibitions (Sikkhāpada) are not rules imposed from outside, but practical instructions based on deep understanding of the laws of cause and effect (Paṭiccasamuppāda).
Practical Meaning
For monastics in early Buddhism, Na hastiśuṇḍaṁ offers a clear lesson: discipline is not meant to restrict freedom, but to protect the wisdom of the practitioner.
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