San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Pc 47Viewing a Military Action
Pāli / Sanskrit:Uyyodhika
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Uyyodhika Sutta: On Viewing a Military Action
Context
The Uyyodhika Sutta belongs to the Pāṭimokkha, the collected discipline, in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. It is one of the important disciplinary regulations that the Buddha Śākyamuni established for the community of monks and nuns to protect the spiritual purity of his renunciant disciples.
The historical context of this sutta arises from events in the kingdoms of ancient India, where wars between kingdoms were frequent occurrences. Monks and nuns had opportunities to encounter military scenes, or were tempted to watch battles for entertainment. The Buddha recognized that this was harmful to the life of practice, because it created factors incompatible with the state of mind necessary for cultivating the Dharma.
Main Content
The Uyyodhika Sutta stipulates that a monk or bhikkhunī should not go to watch a military action; in other words, should not witness battles or activities related to an army for the purpose of entertainment or curiosity. This is one of the prohibitions (Pācittiya) in the Pāṭimokkha.
This rule has a deeper nuance than merely a prohibition of outward action. It reflects the basic principle that renunciants must separate themselves from activities that cause harm and violence. A military action is often related to life and death, violence, hatred, and intense emotions from which the disciples had left the world in despair in order to escape.
The sutta does not entirely exclude every context. For example, if a monk accidentally passes by or encounters a military scene without the intention of watching, or if the action is done for the purpose of protecting himself or the Sangha community from immediate danger, such situations may be considered differently. However, these exceptions are very limited and must be clearly determined.
Practical Meaning
The practical value of Uyyodhika does not lie in physically avoiding wars, but in protecting the mind from influences that obstruct the path of practice.
🌏 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.