San Lo Bu Pm Sk 62Off the Path

EXPOSITION OF THE UPPATHENAGAMANA SUTTA (LEAVING THE PATH)

Background

The Uppathenagamana Sutta belongs to the San Lo Bu (Sanghadisesa), one of the most serious categories of rules in the early Vinaya Pitaka. This is rule 62 in the Pacittiya section of the Bhikkhuni Vinaya, specifically regulating improper travel by nuns.

In the early period of Buddhism, the safety and reputation of the Sangha were always foremost concerns of the Buddha. The rules were established not only to protect the pure life of renunciants, but also to maintain the lay community's reverence for the Three Jewels. The travel of bhikkhunis especially needed to be clearly regulated because of the social context of ancient India, where women renunciants faced many risks to safety and honor.

This rule was established after the Buddha observed that some bhikkhunis left the main road and went into lonely, unsuitable places, causing suspicion and criticism from the community. This affected not only the individual offender but also damaged the general image of the Bhikkhuni Sangha.

Main Content

Uppathenagamana (from Pali: uppatha = wrong road/deviant path; gamana = going) literally means "going away from the proper path." This rule forbids bhikkhunis from straying from the main, safe road into remote places, forests, or areas unsuitable for renunciants.

The core content of the rule includes this: a bhikkhuni may not deliberately leave a public road or ordinary village road to enter secluded paths, except for a legitimate reason such as avoiding direct danger on the main road, or following the guidance of the Sangha in a special case.

The elements constituting an offense are: (1) There is a clear main road to travel; (2) one deliberately leaves that road; (3) one enters an unsuitable path; (4) there is no legitimate reason allowed by the Vinaya. This violation is considered a Pacittiya offense and must be disclosed and confessed before the Sangha in order to become pure again.

The Vinaya explains that the "proper path" (patha) means public, safe roads used by everyone, where renunciants may travel without arousing suspicion. Conversely, the "wrong path" means lonely, hidden places unsuitable to the deportment of a renunciant.

Practical Meaning

The Uppathenagamana rule has deep meaning for practitioners at both the formal and spiritual levels. On the practical level, it protects the bodily safety and reputation of renunciants, while also helping the Sangha avoid unfounded criticism from the community.

On a deeper level, "leaving the path" symbolizes deviating from the Noble Eightfold Path (Atthangika-magga), the path of liberation taught by the Buddha. As the Buddha teaches in many discourses, the Middle Way is the safest path, avoiding the two extremes of self-mortification and indulgence in sensual pleasure.