Bi Sk 2020. Swaying the head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyasīsappacālaka
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The Second Discourse on Swaying the Head
(Dutiyasīsappacālaka - Bhikkhunī Sk 20)
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the section concerning the rules of training for bhikkhus within the Buddhist Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to guide the monastic community in maintaining discipline, mental composure, and steadfast persistence on the Buddhist path. The "Second Discourse on Swaying the Head" (Dutiyasīsappacālaka) belongs to the Bhikkhunīvibhaṅga, that is, the rules pertaining to bhikkhunīs.
In the context of practice during the time when the Blessed One was still present in the world, bodily actions, speech, and thought were all regulated in service of the goal of liberation from suffering. The swaying of the head, though it may appear to be a harmless gesture, carries within the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka certain consequences for mental concentration and the integrity of practice.
Main Content
This discourse addresses the action of "swaying the head" (sīsappacālana) as a manifestation of mental instability or a lack of dignified composure in practice. According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, bhikkhunīs are advised to avoid irregular gestures such as excessive swaying of the head, since such actions may be regarded as signs of inner instability, or may adversely affect the image of monastic practice in the eyes of the community.
The discourse sets forth clearly the standards of proper conduct that bhikkhunīs must observe. The maintenance of the body in steady and composed gestures is part of indriyasamvara (restraint of the sense faculties), which is a foundational principle in early Buddhism. This discourse emphasizes that the regulation of bodily activities, down to the smallest detail, is an essential stepping-stone toward the attainment of samādhi and paññā.
Specifically, when a bhikkhunī sways her head in an irregular or excessive manner, this may be regarded as a transgression of the standards of conduct or as something difficult to accept within the monastic Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka therefore sets forth specific guidelines to protect the respectfulness and dignified composure of the Sangha.
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