San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Sk 91Off the Path
Pāli / Sanskrit:Uppathenagamana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
THE UPPATHENAGAMANA SUTTA (GOING OFF THE PATH)
Background
The Uppathenagamana Sutta (Uppath-ena-gamana) appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically among regulations concerning violations by monks and nuns in daily life. This is one of the detailed Vinaya texts, reflecting a concrete situation encountered by the Buddha's disciples in the course of practice and communal life.
In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, every rule is established on the basis of actual events. This sutta records a situation related to bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs deviating from the prescribed main path. The word "uppath" (upa-path) means "deviant path" or "side road," while "gamana" means "going" or "the act of going." Thus this Pāli title reflects the content concerning failure to follow the proper path in action and in consultation.
Main Content
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, suttas concerning "going off the path" are often related to principles of discipline in practice and responsibility within the religious community. Bhikkhus need to follow designated routes when traveling, especially in cases involving ethical matters or community discipline.
The sutta emphasizes that monastics should not secretly carry out tasks or actions contrary to what the community or the Teacher has designated. "Going off the path" is understood not only in a literal sense, going to places that are not permitted, but also in a metaphorical sense: acting without following the recommended method of practice.
Related rules often include cases in which bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs act independently without asking permission or consulting the leaders of the monastery, or actions carried out outside the supervision of the community. This is the basis for maintaining discipline and consistency within the purified Sangha community.
Practical Meaning
The Uppathenagamana Sutta teaches us that practice is not a matter of acting independently according to personal wishes, but a clearly directed path.
🌏 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.