Bu Sk 2020. Swaying the head
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dutiyasīsappacālaka
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Dutiyasīsappacālaka Sutta – The Second Head-Swaying
Background
The Dutiyasīsappacālaka Sutta (The Second Head-Swaying) is found within the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically among the regulations concerning the discipline of the Sangha. It forms part of the Pātimokkha — the code of rules that bhikkhus are required to uphold daily. This code was recorded in order to protect the integrity of the monastic community and to maintain harmony within the assembly of practitioners.
The context of this sutta arises from conduct that shows disregard for discipline within the Sangha. The Buddha established that monastics who transgress the rules must be admonished and instructed through an orderly series of procedures. When a bhikkhu deliberately or intentionally sways his head as a way of objecting to a formal admonishment or refusing to accept criticism from the Sangha, this constitutes a transgression to be considered under the Vinaya.
Principal Content
The Dutiyasīsappacālaka Sutta addresses a specific form of disciplinary transgression: when a bhikkhu is admonished regarding his wrongful conduct, if he sways his head (sīsappacālaka) as a means of denying or challenging the decision of the Sangha, this is regarded as an inappropriate attitude. This act of swaying the head — described as "the second" (dutiya) within a series of transgressions or within a particular context — represents obstinacy, a refusal to cooperate, and a contempt for the regulatory authority of the monastic community.
Although this action may appear minor, the Vinaya Piṭaka regards it as a matter of mental disposition and spiritual discipline. A monastic ought not allow conceit and stubbornness to override sincerity in the course of practice. This swaying of the head reflects a mental attitude that rejects the true Dhamma, rejecting the correction and adjustment proposed by the Sangha.
This regulation is situated within the broader context of penalties and the act of bringing a monastic to compliance (ussati). The Sangha is empowered to apply disciplinary measures such as isolation or renewed formal censure. Should the bhikkhu persist in such conduct, the next step would be the application of more stringent measures.
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