San Mu Bu Pm GBM 2 Sk 10Nātyavakṛṣṭaṁ prāvariṣyāma

Explanation of the Nātyavakṛṣṭaṁ prāvariṣyāma Discourse

Background

The Nātyavakṛṣṭaṁ prāvariṣyāma discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddha-Dharma tradition, the rules of practice and governance for the community of monks and nuns in the Buddha's time. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundation of harmonious communal life in the Sangha, established by the Buddha on the basis of specific events that arose in the process of founding the dispensation.

The title of this discourse is in an ancient Sanskrit/Pāli language, reflecting the historical context of establishing rules for eating, dwelling, practice, and discipline in the early religious community. Nātyavakṛṣṭaṁ prāvariṣyāma means "the removal or separation from unsuitable actions," suggesting content related to maintaining proper conduct and removing what is unbeneficial in the pure life.

Main Content

This discourse is part of the Pātimokkha, the basic code, or related explanatory sections, focusing on the formation and protection of virtuous conduct (sīla) in the Sangha. The purpose of the discourse is:

First, to establish conduct unworthy of a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī, things contrary to the spirit of renunciation. The "removal" or "separation" is understood as eliminating such conduct from the life of practice, thereby protecting the purity of the Sangha.

Second, the discourse establishes the process and spirit of self-reformation. Every member of the religious community must remove unwholesome habits and develop wholesome qualities. This is not a punishment but a requirement of self-awareness, part of the right path of practice (sammā-magga).

Third, the discourse emphasizes harmony and voluntary discipline. Bhikkhus are not coerced but recognize for themselves the benefit of following these rules, not only for themselves but for the whole Sangha, the place where the Dharma is preserved and developed.