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15. Swaying the body

Kāyappacālaka

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • 0.3SekhiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on training
  • 0.4UjjagghikavaggaThe subchapter on laughing loudly

0.515. KāyappacālakasikkhāpadaSwaying the body

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2PTS 4.188Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū kāyappacālakaṁ antaraghare gacchanti kāyaṁ olambentā …pe….At that time the monks from the group of six were swaying and leaning their bodies while walking in inhabited areas. …

1.3.0Final ruling

1.3.1“Na kāyappacālakaṁ antaraghare gamissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.“‘I will not sway my body while walking in inhabited areas,’ this is how you should train.”

1.4Na kāyappacālakaṁ antaraghare gantabbaṁ.One should not sway one’s body while walking in an inhabited area;1.5Kāyaṁ paggahetvā gantabbaṁ.one should walk keeping one’s body straight.11.6Yo anādariyaṁ paṭicca kāyappacālakaṁ antaraghare gacchati kāyaṁ olambento, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If a monk, out of disrespect, sways and leans his body while walking in an inhabited area, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

1.7.0Non-offenses

1.7.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:1.8.1asañcicca …pe…if it is unintentional; 1.8.2if he is not mindful; 1.8.3if he does not know; 1.8.4if he is sick; 1.8.5if there is an emergency; 1.8.6if he is insane; 1.9ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

1.10Pañcamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The fifth training rule is finished.

Translator’s notes

  1. Sp 2.590: Kāyaṁ paggahetvāti niccalaṁ katvā ujukena kāyena samena iriyāpathena gantabbañceva nisīditabbañca, Kāyaṁ paggahetvā: “one should walk and sit with a steady and straight body, and with upright physical behavior.”

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-sk15:1.5