Xct Mu Bi Pm Sk 90Nokkhittakāyassa
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nokkhittakāyassa
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
EXPOSITION OF THE NOKKHITTAKĀYASSA SUTTA
Background
Nokkhittakāyassa is a disciplinary rule belonging to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This discourse appears in texts prescribing how to handle violations related to the body, especially when finding or dealing with dead or severed body parts.
The word "Nokkhittaka" (နော့ခိတ္တကာယ) means "a severed body" or "a body no longer connected," while "kāya" means body. This rule reflects the Sangha's concern for respectful treatment of the dead and of corpses within the monastic community. It is part of the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha or Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the lists of ethical rules that renunciants must follow.
The historical context of this rule is tied to practical situations encountered by the Sangha in the Buddha's time: how to treat respectfully those who had died, while ensuring that monastics did not behave improperly in relation to the dead. This is part of the detailed development of the Vinaya intended to maintain high discipline and ethics within the Sangha.
Main Content
The Nokkhittakāyassa rule concerns actions related to handling a severed body or body parts of the dead. According to the Pāli tradition, the discourse prescribes that monastics must handle such situations respectfully and properly, following principles of reverence toward the dead and basic rules of hygiene.
The Vinaya Piṭaka requires that if a monastic finds a severed body, they must inform other monastics or appropriate persons so that it may be handled correctly. Handling it privately or abusing the body of the dead is regarded as a violation of the rule. This rule is also related to inappropriate actions such as intentionally harming a corpse or doing symbolic or mocking acts.
Monastics are instructed that respect for the dead is part of Buddhist ethics.
🌏 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.