Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Sk 36Arms Akimbo (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyakhambhakata
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EXPLANATION OF THE DUTIYAKHAMBHAKATA SUTRA
On the Crossed-Limbs Posture (Second Time)
Background
The Dutiyakhambhakata Sutra belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism, within the regulations concerning monastic life and the conduct of bhikkhus, men who have gone forth. This sutra relates to building and maintaining order in the religious community, where details that seem minor carry deep meaning regarding respect, discipline, and moral cultivation.
The historical context of the sutra shows a stage in which Buddhism had developed a detailed system of rules, reflecting the need to guide a large and increasingly diverse community of teachers and practitioners. Regulations concerning bodily posture are not unreasonable constraints, but educational means helping bhikkhus develop mindfulness (sati) and self-control.
Main Content
The Dutiyakhambhakata Sutra, provisionally translated "On the crossed-limbs posture (second time)," regulates a specific posture that bhikkhus should not assume in formal contexts or in the practice hall. Khambhakata (khambha = limb, kata = crossed) indicates a posture in which the two arms are crossed over the chest or abdomen.
According to the Pāli tradition, this posture is considered undignified or detrimental to the bearing of a renunciant. The sutra does not merely prohibit, but identifies specific situations in which this posture is considered inappropriate, especially when meeting devotees, during Dharma talks, or in formal ceremonies of the Sangha.
The fact that this regulation is repeated twice (dutiya = second time) in the Vinaya Piṭaka reflects the importance that the Buddhist ancestors gave to this matter. Each repetition is not accidental, but a way of emphasizing the basic principle of respect for the form of the path and monastic discipline.
Practical Meaning
More deeply than the formal rule, this sutra teaches the relationship between bodily posture and mental state. According to Theravāda Buddhism, the way we use the body reflects and influences the mind.
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