San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Pc 49Raising a Hand
Pāli / Sanskrit:Talasattika
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
TALASATTIKA DISCOURSE (RAISING THE HAND) — AN EXPLANATION
Background
The Talasattika Discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically among the disciplinary rules of the Sangha community. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection that addresses the precepts and rules of communal practice taught by the Buddha for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.
The context of this discourse arises from specific situations in the Sangha community, where members needed clear ways to express opinions, agreement, or disagreement in communal meetings (Sangha). The name "Talasattika," meaning "raising the hand" from "tala," the palm of the hand, points to a simple physical action that carries decisive meaning in expressing a collective decision.
Main Content
This discourse states that when the Sangha community needs to reach agreement on disciplinary matters or important decisions, the monastics perform the action of "raising the hand" (abbhanumodana) or similar gestures to express consent. This is a democratic, transparent, and orderly method for making decisions in formal Sangha assemblies.
This action expresses the principle of "Sangha-sammatā," the recognition of the community. It is not a single supreme individual; even the Buddha established that disciplinary matters should be decided by the Sangha according to the majority. When monastics raise their hands, it means that they publicly certify their agreement with a decision, creating collective strength and shared responsibility.
This rule also prevents endless prolonged disputes. By using an action that is clear, concrete, and easy to observe, the Sangha can quickly reach agreement without needing further debate. This is a combination of democratic spirit and practical efficiency.
Practical Meaning
The Talasattika Discourse teaches us that in a community of practice, clarity, transparency, and democratic character are essential elements.
🌏 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.