Xct Mu Bu Vb Sk 102Holding a Knife
Pāli / Sanskrit:Satthapāṇi
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THE SUTTA ON HOLDING A KNIFE: EXPLANATION OF SATTHAPĀṆI
Background
The Satthapāṇi Sutta, Holding a Knife, is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the sacred collection governing the religious life of monks and nuns. This sutta appears in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline for bhikkhunīs, where the Blessed Buddha repeatedly defined the actions and comportment of female practitioners within the religious community.
The recorded background shows that the Buddha witnessed a bhikkhunī holding a knife or sharp object in inappropriate circumstances. This caused controversy in the community of monks and nuns, because such an action could lead to danger for oneself or others, or show a lack of care in protecting life, a core principle of Buddhism.
Rather than simply prohibiting it, the Blessed Buddha carefully instructed the female practitioners, helping them understand deeply the meaning behind the rules of training.
Main Content
This sutta revolves around situations in which a bhikkhunī must be careful when using or holding sharp objects such as knives. The Buddha taught that a practitioner must govern body, speech, and mind, the threefold sphere of action. The act of holding a knife, if done carelessly, may reflect an unsettled mind, easily hurried or lacking concentration.
The Vinaya Piṭaka records that the Buddha did not completely forbid female practitioners from using knives, for that would be impractical. Rather, he gave guidance on how to hold them, when they should and should not be used, and the state of mind one should have while doing so. In the monastery, knives are used for necessary tasks such as cutting vegetables, preparing food, and chopping plants.
The key point is mindfulness, sati. A bhikkhunī must always know what she is doing, why she is doing it, and preserve a pure state of mind. When holding a knife, she should not allow the mind to become agitated, scattered, or governed by anger.
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