Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Pc 71Travelling With Thieves

Theyyasattha Sutta (Traveling With Thieves)

Explanation According to the Theravāda Tradition

Background

The Theyyasattha Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pācittiya section, offenses requiring confession. These are regulations concerning the conduct and qualities of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs in maintaining the purity of Buddhist ethical life.

This discourse was recorded in the context of early Buddhism, when the Buddha and his disciples frequently moved from one place to another, on very difficult journeys through forests and dangerous roads. This rule reflects a practical situation: bhikkhus might encounter people with harmful intentions, thieves and dangerous figures, along the road. The question arises: how should a bhikkhu conduct himself when he must travel with such people?

The Vinaya Piṭaka records the Buddha’s detailed instructions on this matter, showing a balance between avoiding trouble and not acting in an overly extreme or overly cautious way that would cause suspicion or obstruct the journey of practice.

Main Content

Theyyasattha (Pāli: theyya = theft; sattha = path, way) states that if a bhikkhu discovers he is about to travel with thieves or people intending harm, he has several choices. First, he should try to leave the group by skillful and safe means. If he cannot leave, he must not collude with them or take part in their unlawful activities.

The specific regulation instructs bhikkhus to keep a distance, both physically and mentally, from people with unwholesome desires. This is not because of fear, but for the sake of preserving the purity of moral discipline (sīla). If a bhikkhu unknowingly travels with such people without knowing their identity, there is no offense.