Xct Mu Bu Pm Pc 48Hitting

Explanation of the Pahāra Sutta (The Sutta on Hitting)

Background

The Pahāra Sutta belongs to the Mahāvagga section of the traditional Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, a collection of regulations concerning the communal life and discipline of the Sangha. It is one of the earliest disciplinary suttas, recording specific situations that arose in the community of the Buddha’s first disciples when unethical actions began to appear.

The sutta was formulated during the lifetime of the Buddha, when he personally resolved disputes and violations within the Sangha. The historical setting shows that even among those practicing according to the Buddha-Dharma, unwholesome actions still existed, including violent behavior such as fighting, shoving, or contending. The Pahāra Sutta was established to regulate such actions through clear rules and a corresponding system of penalties.

Main Content

The Pahāra Sutta addresses the act of “hitting” (pahāra) in the context of the Sangha. According to the traditional Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, striking another monk or nun, or even an enemy of the Buddha, is regarded as a violation of the Pātimokkha, the basic discipline, and leads to serious consequences.

The sutta details different situations: hitting with the hand, hitting with an object, or performing actions that cause injury. The degree of violation is distinguished according to the intention of the one performing the action, the nature of the object used, and the result produced. Each specific case was addressed by the Buddha, establishing principles that the Sangha must follow.

The essential point is that the Vinaya Piṭaka not only prohibits violent action but also constructs a graded system of penalties, from verbal reproach and warning to heavier penalties according to the nature of the violation. The sutta emphasizes that even a monk who is a teacher of the Dharma or a noble person must follow these regulations, because the Buddha-Dharma rests upon universal ethical principles, without exception.