Mpt Pc 20Applying Materials to a Large Dwelling
Pāli / Sanskrit:Mahallakavihāra
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The Mahallakavihāra Sutta: On the Construction of a Large Monastery
Background
The Mahallakavihāra Sutta (Mahallaka-vihāra) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha (Paccaya) section of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of ethical rules and legal codes regulating the communal life of monastics, proclaimed by the Buddha throughout the course of his solitary wandering and Dharma teaching.
This discourse is directly related to practical matters in constructing and maintaining buildings that serve the community of study and practice. The word “Mahallaka” means “large” (mahā), and “vihāra” is a dwelling or monastery. Thus Mahallakavihāra refers to a monastery or communal structure of large scale, used in common by the Sangha.
Continuing the principles concerning common property (saṅghika) among monastics, this discourse addresses detailed regulations on the use of materials (chanda) to build, repair, or expand common structures. This is a concrete expression of Dharma practice in the immediate context of communal life.
Main Content
The Mahallakavihāra Sutta stipulates that when building or renovating a large monastery, or a structure serving the monastic community in common, the materials used must conform to the principle of lawful use and must be approved by the Sangha. Specifically, these materials must not be taken from improper sources or in a way that harms the parties concerned.
The discourse emphasizes that all building materials used for a common structure must be gathered through three lawful means: either from donors who give voluntarily and with the intention of making an offering (dāna); or from donated funds managed by a responsible person; or from existing property of the Sangha that has been lawfully accumulated.
The Vinaya Piṭaka also specifies that during construction, unnecessary loss or waste must not be caused. Every task must be carried out carefully, according to plan, and with the agreement of the members of the Sangha.
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