San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Sk 82Walking Behind
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pacchatogamana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Interpretation of the Pacchatogamana Discourse (Walking Behind)
Background
The Pacchatogamana discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, among the regulations on monastic discipline in the Sangha (the community of those who have gone forth). This body of scripture records specific rules related to the act of "walking behind" by bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, reflecting the Buddha's effort to build a monastic community that is orderly and mutually respectful.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of prohibitive rules, but the ethical foundation for practice. Each regulation arises from specific situations: when bhikkhus acted inappropriately, the Buddha gave instruction to correct them. The Pacchatogamana discourse reflects this spirit: trainees must learn to respect other members of the Sangha through their daily gestures and attitudes.
Main Content
This discourse addresses detailed regulations on how a bhikkhu should act when walking behind (pacchatogamana) another bhikkhu, especially one of higher standing or one worthy of respect. "Walking behind" is not a meaningless act; it expresses reverence and clarity regarding status and authority within the monastic community.
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, there are specific cases in which a bhikkhu should not walk behind another person casually. This includes situations such as following those who are not qualified to be respected, or following people in a way that could create misunderstanding about relationships among members. These regulations aim to protect the reputation of the Sangha and maintain order and purity in the community.
The content of the discourse also mentions cases in which a bhikkhu is permitted or should walk behind, such as in situations of guidance, when it is necessary to follow the direction of a teacher, or when the structure of the community requires it. What matters is respect and context: each action must be performed with clear awareness of its purpose and meaning.
🌏 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.