San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Sk 77Na taṭe na prapāte na prāgbhāre pātraṁ nirmādayiṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na taṭe na prapāte na prāgbhāre pātraṁ nirmādayiṣyāma
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Interpretation of the Discourse: Na taṭe na prapāte na prāgbhāre pātraṁ nirmādayiṣyāma
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, where the training rules of the Sangha are recorded in detail. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a formal code of law, but an expression of the Dharma: the way the Buddha guided his disciples to live in harmony, preserve purity of mind, and build a strong community of practice.
The phrase "Na taṭe na prapāte na prāgbhāre pātraṁ nirmādayiṣyāma" concerns rules for protecting the vessel (pātra) of the Sangha: it should not be left in a high place or in a place where it may easily fall, so as to avoid breaking it. This is a concrete illustration of the spirit of order in the communal life of those who have gone forth, reflecting respect for shared property and collective discipline.
Main Content
This phrase arose from a practical context: some members of the Sangha were careless in caring for vessels for rice or water, placing them in unsafe positions, which led to their being broken. This wasted the property of the Sangha and violated the spirit of frugality. The Buddha therefore laid down a clear rule: members of the Sangha should not place a vessel in a high place (taṭe), should not place it where it may easily fall (prapāte), and should not place it where there is prior danger (prāgbhāre), so as to avoid breaking it (nirmādayiṣyāma).
These instructions are not petty restrictions, but profound teachings on how to practice in daily life. Each small action, placing a rice vessel in the proper place, reflects a clear and mindful awareness, ready to accept responsibility. This rule also expresses respect for the labor of others and for the resources of the community.
Practical Meaning
The practical meaning of this discourse extends beyond the protection of material requisites. In Theravāda Buddhism, the Vinaya Piṭaka is a tool for training the mind.
🌏 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.