San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Sk 58Na viḍaṅgikaya niṣatsyāma

Exposition of the Na Viḍaṅgikaya Niṣatsyāma Sutta

Background

The Na Viḍaṅgikaya Niṣatsyāma Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of rules and living instructions given by the Buddha for the community of monks and nuns, intended to protect the integrity of the teaching and maintain harmony in the monastic community.

The content of this sutta concerns rules of what is not permitted, or actions that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs need to avoid. The phrase "Na viḍaṅgikaya" means "not to be divided" or "not to be separated," indicating matters that cannot be ignored or done only in part. The word "niṣatsyāma" expresses a determination or commitment not to perform prohibited actions.

This sutta is presented in the context of the Buddha instructing the community of monks and nuns after the end of a rains retreat (Vassa), often an occasion when bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs gathered to review and maintain the spirit of the teaching.

Main Content

This sutta emphasizes fundamental principles that bhikkhus must observe without setting them aside. The prohibited actions are not minor or superficial rules, but are directly related to the purity of the holy life (brahmacariya) and the moral character of the practitioner.

Specifically, the sutta states clearly that there are actions that must not be performed under any circumstances. These actions not only violate the Vinaya, but also destroy the foundation of Buddhist practice. They include actions related to sexuality, theft, killing, and grave false claims about superhuman powers.

The sutta affirms that these rules were not issued by the Buddha arbitrarily, but arose from an understanding of cause and effect (hetu-phala), of the way actions affect the mind and progress on the Path.