Mpt Sk 30Na hastasaṁlagnikaya pravekṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na hastasaṁlagnikaya pravekṣyāma
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Explanation of the Na Hastasaṁlagnikaya Pravekṣyāma Sutta
Background
The Na Hastasaṁlagnikaya Pravekṣyāma Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, the section of discipline that regulates the life of the Sangha. The title of this sutta is in Sanskrit and means “we shall not enter into the life of tightly clasped hands” or “we shall not take part in improper attachments.”
This sutta was established in the context of the Buddha and his disciples building the community of monks and nuns, which required clear rules to maintain discipline and diligence in practice. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of mechanical prohibitions, but a body of guidance helping monastics keep away from craving, hatred, and delusion. Each rule has a foundational story (abidhāna-kathā) explaining why the Buddha established it.
Main Content
This sutta concerns principles related to inappropriate relationships and attachments in the sexual or material life of monks and nuns. The phrase “hastasaṁlagna” (tightly clasped by the hand) symbolizes excessive attachment, intimate connections that may lead one to forget the purpose of practice.
According to the spirit of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs need to avoid unnecessary actions, conversations, or bodily contact that may stimulate sensual desire or disturb the mind. This is not a restriction of freedom, but the protection of purity (brahmacarya), the celibate life, a gentle Dharma of the mind, removed from the commands of desire.
The sutta does not completely forbid communication, but emphasizes maintaining a reasonable and dignified distance in speech and conduct. Intimate attachments are often the seeds of defilements (kilesa), leading to decline in Dharma practice.
Practical Meaning
In the movement of modern practice, this sutta has profound meaning for anyone pursuing the spiritual path.
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