Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Sk 87Off the Path

UPPATHENAGAMANA SUTTA (Going Off the Path)

Background

The Uppathenagamana Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically the Samantapāsādikā or the clauses related to the discipline of the Sangha. This text records a regulation concerning the behavior of bhikkhus while traveling or moving about.

During the Buddha's lifetime, the Sangha developed strongly, and from this arose the need to establish rules of conduct to protect the honor of the Three Jewels, reduce disputes, and preserve the purity of the Sangha. The Uppathenagamana Sutta is one of the clauses reflecting this mindfulness.

The content of the sutta concerns a specific behavior: a bhikkhu "going off the main path" (uppathenagamana). This is not a trivial rule of training, but a disciplinary matter considered by the Buddha or the Sangha in order to determine whether it constituted an offense and, if so, the degree of the offense.

Main Content

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, "going off the path" (uppathenagamana) refers to the conduct of a bhikkhu traveling from one place to another without following the main road or without informing the community beforehand. This may include going into deep forests, marshes, or dangerous areas without another person as witness.

This regulation arises from two main purposes. First, it protects bhikkhus from risks to personal safety: deserted paths may lead to accidents, illness, or attack. Second, it prevents monks from becoming the object of suspicion or speculation among laypeople. If a bhikkhu secretly enters strange places, this may create doubts concerning his diligence or unwholesome intentions.

This sutta recognizes that violating this rule, depending on the specific circumstances, whether there is a valid reason or not, whether there are consequences or not, will be handled differently within the Vinaya system. What matters is the intention and awareness of the monk regarding what he is doing.