San Mg Bu Pm Pc 80Entering a Village at the Wrong Time
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vikālagāmappavisana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on Entering a Village at an Improper Time (Vikālagāmappavisana)
Background
This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the code of discipline for bhikkhunīs. It is part of the Training Rules (Pātimokkha) intended to maintain discipline and ethical conduct in the Sangha.
These rules arose from actual events in the early history of Buddhism, when the Buddha and his disciples encountered situations that required specific guidelines. Entering a village at an improper time refers to the action of bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs entering residential areas without observing the prescribed times or appropriate conditions. This is regarded as a matter of discipline because it relates to the formation of actions and intentions in Buddhist practice.
Main Content
The Vikālagāmappavisana Sutta stipulates that a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī should not enter a village at unsuitable times without a legitimate reason. The “unsuitable time” (vikāla) is usually understood as the evening or unclear hours, when natural light is insufficient and unwanted or difficult-to-control situations may easily arise.
This rule is not merely legal or administrative, but also has deep ethical significance. It is intended to protect bhikkhus from suspicion or misunderstanding on the part of the wider public, and from women, which could lead to complicated incidents. Moreover, it reflects a cautious and wise attitude in maintaining the purity of the Sangha.
Observing this rule is considered part of practicing the Dhamma fully, because it relates directly to sīla, morality, and makes the conduct of monastics transparent, easy to supervise, and public.
Practical Meaning
This sutta teaches us the importance of carefulness and mindfulness in every action, especially public actions.
🌏 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.