Xct Mu Bi Pm Sk 83Na nadyāḥ pratisrotaḥ pātrodakaṁ grahīṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na nadyāḥ pratisrotaḥ pātrodakaṁ grahīṣyāma
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
SUTTA ON WATER FROM THE COUNTER-CURRENT OF A RIVER
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and expresses the Buddha’s alertness and caution toward monastics in the management of the property and objects of the Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of disciplinary rules, but a set of practical instructions that help disciples maintain concentration, purity of mind, and mutual respect within the religious community.
This passage reflects a specific situation in the daily life of monastics: the use of water from different sources, especially the issue of taking water from a river against the current. The historical context shows that monastics needed guidance on actions that seemed ordinary but could contain ethical or practical problems.
Main Content
The sentence “Na nadyāḥ pratisrotaḥ pātrodakaṁ grahīṣyāma” means: “We will not take water from a river flowing against the current to put into the bowl or water vessel.” This is a declaration or rule related to a specific practice in monastic life.
According to the context of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, water is an essential need in the life of practice. However, taking water is not a meaningless act; it must follow certain principles. A river flowing against the current (pratisrota) may refer to water with an unusual or unnatural direction, or places where water may be polluted by human influences.
This sutta warns that monastics should avoid actions that appear “contrary” to nature or to basic standards of hygiene. This reflects the Buddha’s concern not only for spiritual matters, but also for the physical health of his disciples. Clean water is essential, and choosing a suitable water source is part of the Vinaya, discipline or appropriate action.
Practical Meaning
The sutta teaches us carefulness in actions that seem ordinary.
🌏 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.