San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Sk 86Nātyastikākṛtasya
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nātyastikākṛtasya
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Interpretation of the Nātyastikākṛtasya Discourse
Background
The Nātyastikākṛtasya discourse is taken from the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, in the section concerning the discipline of the Sangha. In the Pāli Canon, the Vinaya Piṭaka is the most detailed body of scripture concerning moral conduct, rules of daily life, and penalties when monks and bhikkhus commit offenses.
The context of this discourse lies in the period when the Buddha was active in monastic dwellings, as the Sangha was increasingly expanding. To maintain harmony, unity, and the spirit of practice, the Buddha issued regulations (Pātimokkha) to educate and regulate the conduct of his disciples. The Nātyastikākṛtasya discourse relates to matters of performance, entertainment activities, and the behavior of monks in secular society.
Main Content
This discourse deals with the problem of improper actions by monks who participate in performances, drama, or activities not in accord with the principles of practice. Specifically, the discourse stipulates that monks should not take part in activities such as acting (nāṭya), dancing (nṛtta), singing, or other worldly amusements, because these activities distract the mind, draw it into sensual desires, and cause the spirit of going forth to be lost.
The discourse also mentions penalties and ways of handling such violations when they occur. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, monks may undergo penalties ranging from light ones, such as acknowledging fault, to severe ones, such as being excluded from the Sangha. Such decisions are made through formal Sangha meetings (saṅgha kamma), a democratic form of adjudication within the Sangha.
More importantly, the discourse emphasizes that the purpose of these regulations is not punishment, but education and the protection of the spiritual life of monastics. Every regulation has a deep reason connected with building noble character, avoiding worldly desires, and maintaining concentration on the path of liberation.
🌏 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.