Bi Sk 77. Not lowering the eyes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Okkhittacakkhu
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Commentary on the Okkhittacakkhu Sutta (Not Lowering the Eyes)
Background
The Okkhittacakkhu Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Sutta section (the rules pertaining to bhikkhunīs — female monastics). The context of this sutta arises from the training guidelines that the Buddha set forth to support the community of female monastics in maintaining mindfulness and moral discipline.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundation of the Sangha (the monastic community). These rules are not restrictions imposed from without, but rather means of cultivating samādhi (concentration) and paññā (wisdom). The Okkhittacakkhu Sutta specifically provides guidance on how a monastic manages her vision — an essential aspect of pure conduct.
The element "okkhittacakkhu" in the Pāli language refers not merely to a physical act, but also to an expression of an inward state of mind: mindfulness, humility, and the restraint of the sense faculties. This is directly connected to the fourfold basis of sense restraint (indriya-samvara) as taught by the Buddha.
Main Content
The sutta teaches that a bhikkhunī must guard her vision by not allowing her eyes to wander unconsciously. "Lowering the eyes" here does not refer only to the act of looking downward, but is a specific expression of a lack of mindfulness — a failure of restraint when coming into contact with alluring objects.
In the context of practice, the restraint of vision is one of the most important means of protecting the mind from sensual craving (lobha) and mental defilements. When the eyes roam freely, the mind is easily drawn into objects that arouse desire. Conversely, when one keeps the eyes in conscious, mindful observation, the monastic protects herself from the disturbances of external appearances.
This sutta is also related to the concept of indriya-samvara (restraint of the sense faculties) — an indispensable component of Sīla (moral virtue) within the Noble Eightfold Path (Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga).
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