San Lo Bu Pn 9Dedicated
Pāli / Sanskrit:Uddissa
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
THE UDDISSA SCRIPTURE (THE SCRIPTURE OF DESIGNATION)
An Exposition of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Tradition
Background
The Uddissa scripture is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the body of law that organizes the life of the Sangha. In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation for building a disciplined community of practitioners, creating favorable conditions for the practice of the Dharma. This scripture belongs to the Saṅghādisesa section, rules concerning offenses that require collective handling by the Sangha.
The word "Uddissa" means "set aside" or "mentioned/dedicated for," referring to actions or intentions that are designated or reserved for a specific purpose. In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this scripture concerns actions performed with a clear intention or words directed toward a definite purpose, affecting the propriety of monastic conduct.
Main Content
The Uddissa scripture concerns regulations on how a monk must be careful when carrying out actions or speaking words. The central emphasis is volition and intention (cetanā) in Buddhist action. An action or word is considered a violation or unwholesome only if it is performed with a clear intention.
This rule applies to situations in which a monk says or does something that is "dedicated" or "designated" for a specific purpose. For example, if a monk makes a statement that is not literally true but is directed toward a purpose, such as teaching a lesson or clarifying a matter, its nature differs from baseless lying.
The scripture also emphasizes that the Sangha must consider the context, intention, and purpose of such actions before applying punishments or criticism. This is an expression of wisdom (paññā) in the governance of the monastic community, not applying rules mechanically but taking into account the flexibility of each circumstance.
Practical Meaning
The teaching of the Uddissa scripture offers a profound lesson on the balance between discipline and understanding.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.