San Mg Bu Pm Sk 17Laughing Loudly (2nd)

Interpretation of the Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta (Laughing Loudly for the Second Time)

Background

The Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the collection of rules governing the conduct of monks and nuns. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a collection of doctrinal sermons, but a body of standards (Vinaya) established by the Blessed Buddha to maintain discipline in the Sangha.

The title “Laughing Loudly” reflects a specific incident connected with the inappropriate behavior of a monk. This is the second time (Dutiya) that this sutta is recorded, showing that the Blessed Buddha repeated this teaching in order to emphasize the importance of dignity in the renunciant life. This context serves an educational and cautionary purpose for monks and nuns concerning conduct unsuitable to the outward appearance and inner spirit of the Sangha.

Main Content

Although the detailed content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated, according to the general context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Dutiyaujjagghika Sutta concerns rules on the graceful conduct of renunciants. Specifically, it refers to laughing loudly and without restraint, which is regarded as a form of conduct unsuitable to the appearance of one gone forth according to the Dhamma-Vinaya.

The Blessed Buddha taught that monks and nuns, having left the household life to pursue the Path, must maintain dignity, composure, and moderation in all actions, speech, and gestures. Laughing too loudly, too long, or too strangely is regarded as an expression of insufficient control of the mind and unsuitable to the image of a true practitioner. The repetition of this sutta for a second time shows that this was a matter requiring particular emphasis.

The ethical rules (sīla) in the Vinaya Piṭaka do not concern only major actions such as killing, stealing, or lying, but also include small details of conduct, because these small matters also reflect the degree of alertness and self-control of the practitioner.