Xct Mu Bu Vb Pc 77Leaving Without Giving Consent

Explanation of the Chandaṁadatvāgamana Sutta

(Leaving Without Asking Permission)

Background

This rule is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pācittiya section, the rules requiring confession. In the Buddha’s time, the community of monks and nuns, the Sangha, was organized according to strict regulations in order to maintain discipline and internal harmony. The Chandaṁadatvāgamana rule arose from specific situations in which monks, without asking permission from their teachers or senior members of the Sangha, left the monastery or communal residence on their own initiative.

A sudden absence not only caused concern for the community, but also disrupted the rules of organization and mutual support among members. Theravāda Buddhism emphasizes that practice is not an isolated action, but a shared path within a disciplined community marked by mutual respect.

Main Content

According to this rule, a monk may not leave the monastery or communal residence without asking permission, chanda, from those responsible for guidance or from other senior members. The act of “leaving without asking permission” is regarded as a Pācittiya offense, one requiring confession before the community.

This does not mean that monks are imprisoned or deprived of personal freedom. Rather, it reflects a basic principle: respect for the autonomy of others. Chanda means consent, the will expressed through permission. When a monk leaves without informing others, he is failing to respect the autonomy of his teacher or of the Sangha in knowing where he is going and why.

This rule also protects safety and common order. If many monks were to leave without notice, the daily activities of the Sangha, conduct, study, and practice together, would be disrupted. Therefore, permission is not control, but a means of maintaining trust and order.

Practical Meaning

The deeper meaning of Chandaṁadatvāgamana is a teaching on mutual respect.