Xct Mu Bi Sk 99Na hastyārūḍhāya
Pāli / Sanskrit:Na hastyārūḍhāya
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Na Hastyārūḍhāya Discourse
Explanation According to the Theravāda Tradition
Background
The Na Hastyārūḍhāya discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the section governing discipline in the monastic community in the Theravāda tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of prohibitions, but a set of guidelines for living that helps bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, and those gone forth maintain purity of mind and avoid actions that cause harm to themselves and the community.
The term "Na hastyārūḍhāya" means "one should not mount an elephant." This is a discourse connected with restrictions on the bodily actions of those gone forth. In the context of ancient India, the elephant was a valuable animal, often used in military activity, transport, or as an expression of power. This discourse reflects the Buddha's consideration of how bhikkhus should act so as to avoid activities that could bring disciplinary and spiritual disadvantages.
Main Content
According to the spirit of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, the Na Hastyārūḍhāya discourse states that bhikkhus should not mount an elephant. This is not merely a simple restriction, but reflects the deeper principle of mindfulness and moderation in action. By mounting an elephant, a bhikkhu could place himself in dangerous situations or be seen as delighting in worldly activities, thereby deviating from the goal of practice.
This discourse is part of the rules concerning actions or habits that bhikkhus should avoid because they may harm mental concentration or lead to turning points away from the path of liberation. This rule also helps protect the image and respect of the monastic community in the eyes of the world. Those gone forth should maintain a dignified and venerable appearance, without paying excessive attention to means of transport or things that may cause distraction.
Practical Meaning
More deeply, the Na Hastyārūḍhāya discourse teaches us moderation and mindfulness in every action. For practitioners today, whether or not one mounts elephants, this principle still applies.
🌏 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.