San Mg Bu Pm Sk 11Swaying
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kāyappacālaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta (The Sutta on Swaying the Body)
Background
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the code for bhikkhunīs. This is a disciplinary section concerning the training rules for bhikkhunīs, recorded to protect the purity of ritual conduct and the dignity of the Sangha.
The corrective background of this sutta arose from a specific event in the early days of Buddhism, when the Buddha and his disciples were still going for alms among settlements. This rule was given to correct an inappropriate action involving the control of the body in a showy or undignified manner.
Main Content
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta strictly prohibits bhikkhunīs from performing actions of “swaying the body” (kāya-ppacālaka), that is, bodily movements intentionally done to attract attention or make an impression. This includes swaying the body, displaying unnecessary gestures, or making bodily movements inconsistent with the character of a practitioner.
In the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, such conduct is regarded as a violation of one of the rules preserving propriety and dignity. Swaying the body aimlessly or intentionally makes it a form of showing off or attempting to attract attention, which is entirely contrary to the spirit of training, where humility, stillness, and bodily restraint are basic qualities.
This rule reflects a broader principle in the Pāli Vinaya: bhikkhunīs need to maintain civilized and dignified conduct, avoiding actions that could shake the community’s faith in the Bhikkhunī Sangha or undermine laypeople’s trust.
Practical Meaning
The Kāyappacālaka Sutta teaches that practice is a process involving not only the mind but also the body. Every movement and every gesture reflects the inward mental state.
🌏 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.