San Lo Bi Pn 27Jasmine Cutting
Pāli / Sanskrit:sumanā-vāpanā-pratisaṁyuktaṁ
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JASMINE CUTTING DISCOURSE — EXPLANATION OF THE VINAYA PIṬAKA
Background
The Jasmine Cutting discourse (sumanā-vāpanā-pratisaṁyuktaṁ) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddha Dharma tradition, under Pācittiya, the class of offenses requiring confession. This discourse appears when the Buddha and his disciples are dwelling in a garden where many kinds of flowers are blooming, especially fragrant jasmine (sumanā).
The setting portrays a situation often encountered in the life of the Sangha: the attempt to beautify the environment of practice by tending flowers and plants. Yet this is not only a matter of aesthetics; it is a profound lesson about psychological awareness, attachment, and sensual craving hidden in seemingly “harmless” actions.
Main Content
The Vinaya Piṭaka records that some monks, wishing to make their dwelling clean and fragrant, or perhaps wishing to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of jasmine flowers, cut the flowers with their own hands. This act, though it seemed innocent, violated an important principle in the discipline of the Sangha: the prohibition against damaging living things, or more specifically, against destroying monastery property without permission.
The important factor is the intention (cetanā) behind the act. When a bhikkhu cuts jasmine because he wants beautiful flowers for decoration, or to enjoy their color and fragrance, this reflects greed (lobha), one of the three root poisons of all suffering according to the Buddha Dharma. Even small things, such as selecting and intensifying one’s desire, are not in accord with the solitary and purified life of a monastic.
The Vinaya Piṭaka states that this act must be confessed according to the Pācittiya procedure, confession before another monk, because it is a lighter offense than the Pārājika offenses, which are fatal to the monastic life. Nevertheless, it still stains the spiritual life and must be remedied.
Practical Meaning
Beneath the surface of this discourse lies an extremely deep lesson on sati (mindfulness) and sampajaññā (clear comprehension).
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