<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia makes the following claim</a>, but unreferenced,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Rhinoceros Sutra (Pali: Khaggavisāṇa-sutta; Sanskrit: Khaḍgaviṣāṇa Gāthā; Gāndhārī: Khargaviṣana-sutra) is a very early Buddhist text advocating the merit of solitary asceticism for pursuing enlightenment as opposed to practicing as a householder or in a community of monastics. The goal of this was to become a pratyekabuddha, who wandered alone through the forest like a rhinoceros.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>One modern book intended not for &quot;solitary ascetics&quot; but for laypeople is <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254">described in this answer</a>, which says something like,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you fail to find suitable associates it's better to be &quot;like a solitary rhinoceros&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Note that chapter 23 of the Dhammapada makes this slightly modified claim, i.e.,</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="328">
<li><p>If for company you find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, you should, overcoming all impediments, keep his company joyously and mindfully.</p>
</li>
<li><p>If for company you cannot find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, then, like a king who leaves behind a conquered kingdom, or like a lone elephant in the elephant forest, you should go your way alone.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. Live alone and do no evil; be carefree like an elephant in the elephant forest.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-28T21:09:38.607Z
2015-12-28T21:09:38.607Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
ChrisW
<p>According to Chogyam Trungpa, loneliness is the heart of Sila, Buddhist discipline. As such, the spirit of loneliness must permeate one's practice, whether one is ordained or not. Critically important at "hinayana-level", loneliness temporarily steps aside for the Mahayana phase, only to return with Vajrayana, this time to stay.</p>

<p>Loneliness begins with making commitment to the spiritual quest:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The refuge ceremony cuts the line that connects the ship to the anchor; it marks the beginning of an odyssey of loneliness. We are
  suspended in no-man's land in which the only thing to do is to
  relate with the teachings and with ourselves. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>In terms of actual practice, loneliness translates to following guidelines:</p>

<ul>
<li>Not looking for entertainment in any shape or form.</li>
<li>Giving up one's need for companionship, for relationships.</li>
<li>Relying on one's own resources, not waiting for help.</li>
<li>Taking a stance, however suboptimal, without confirming it with an external authority all the time.</li>
<li>Working towards one's goal (Enlightenment), instead of giving the entropy a free hand.</li>
<li>Learning to trust one's fundamental goodness.</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>A lonely person could still relate with other people. You could be lonely, alone, and living in the midst of society at the same time. Aloneness does not mean you have to be a mountain hermit.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This loneliness -- the feeling that no one is going to descent in a golden chariot to take you to Nirvana, help you, or even acknowledge your existence, and that therefore your Enlightenment is on you and you alone, is solely between you and the universe -- is what eventually develops into wakefulness, or Bodhi.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T10:55:57.397Z
Its funny how some believe Chogyam Trungpa was enlightened and, conversely, believe the enlightened are unenlightened.
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T11:31:12.073Z
define "enlightened"?
Andriy Volkov
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-02T02:25:00.503Z
2015-12-28T22:40:12.280Z
2015-12-28T22:40:12.280Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>How can a lay person benefit from this beautiful sutta? It is about being reclusive as a key for good insight and enlightenment.</p>

<p>Does this sutta apply for short period of loneliness like Retreats? Or should it be taken literally and is only for monks?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Laying aside all violence, respecting all beings,<br>
   never harming even one of them,<br>
   one should not wish for a son,<br>
   nor neither for any companion.<br>
   One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn.<br>
  ...
   The considerations which exists for sons and wives is like<br>
   a spreading bamboo entangled, a solid web of bars,<br>
   Like a single young bamboo shoot up free, not caught up with others<br>
   One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn."</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra" rel="nofollow">Khaggavisana Sutta</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-02T01:52:30.427Z
This was an early ideal-- the idea that regular society was so screwed up that it was better to leave it. Even people who liked the idea, still preferred to hang out together than to be alone.
MatthewMartin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-02T02:06:22.357Z
hmmm interested point of view, I would like to hear other opinions about it, maybe it is more about attachments than how good/bad society is!
konrad01
<sutras>
Loneliness: Rhinoceros-Horn Sutta from a Lay person's perspective
# Loneliness: Rhinoceros-Horn Sutta from a Lay person's perspective

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-02)

How can a lay person benefit from this beautiful sutta? It is about being reclusive as a key for good insight and enlightenment.

Does this sutta apply for short period of loneliness like Retreats? Or should it be taken literally and is only for monks?

> "Laying aside all violence, respecting all beings,  
> never harming even one of them,  
> one should not wish for a son,  
> nor neither for any companion.  
> One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn.  
> ...
> The considerations which exists for sons and wives is like  
> a spreading bamboo entangled, a solid web of bars,  
> Like a single young bamboo shoot up free, not caught up with others  
> One should wander solitary as a rhinoceros horn."

[Khaggavisana Sutta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra)

**Tags:** sutras

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This was an early ideal-- the idea that regular society was so screwed up that it was better to leave it. Even people who liked the idea, still preferred to hang out together than to be alone.  
> **username_0**: hmmm interested point of view, I would like to hear other opinions about it, maybe it is more about attachments than how good/bad society is!  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-09-02. Score: 8

According to Chogyam Trungpa, loneliness is the heart of Sila, Buddhist discipline. As such, the spirit of loneliness must permeate one's practice, whether one is ordained or not. Critically important at "hinayana-level", loneliness temporarily steps aside for the Mahayana phase, only to return with Vajrayana, this time to stay.

Loneliness begins with making commitment to the spiritual quest:

> The refuge ceremony cuts the line that connects the ship to the anchor; it marks the beginning of an odyssey of loneliness. We are
> suspended in no-man's land in which the only thing to do is to
> relate with the teachings and with ourselves.

In terms of actual practice, loneliness translates to following guidelines:

* Not looking for entertainment in any shape or form.
* Giving up one's need for companionship, for relationships.
* Relying on one's own resources, not waiting for help.
* Taking a stance, however suboptimal, without confirming it with an external authority all the time.
* Working towards one's goal (Enlightenment), instead of giving the entropy a free hand.
* Learning to trust one's fundamental goodness.

> A lonely person could still relate with other people. You could be lonely, alone, and living in the midst of society at the same time. Aloneness does not mean you have to be a mountain hermit.

This loneliness -- the feeling that no one is going to descent in a golden chariot to take you to Nirvana, help you, or even acknowledge your existence, and that therefore your Enlightenment is on you and you alone, is solely between you and the universe -- is what eventually develops into wakefulness, or Bodhi.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Its funny how some believe Chogyam Trungpa was enlightened and, conversely, believe the enlightened are unenlightened.  
> **username_3**: define "enlightened"?  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-12-28. Score: 1

[Wikipedia makes the following claim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Sutra), but unreferenced,

> The Rhinoceros Sutra (Pali: Khaggavisāṇa-sutta; Sanskrit: Khaḍgaviṣāṇa Gāthā; Gāndhārī: Khargaviṣana-sutra) is a very early Buddhist text advocating the merit of solitary asceticism for pursuing enlightenment as opposed to practicing as a householder or in a community of monastics. The goal of this was to become a pratyekabuddha, who wandered alone through the forest like a rhinoceros.

One modern book intended not for "solitary ascetics" but for laypeople is [described in this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7760/254), which says something like,

> If you fail to find suitable associates it's better to be "like a solitary rhinoceros"

Note that chapter 23 of the Dhammapada makes this slightly modified claim, i.e.,

> 328. If for company you find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, you should, overcoming all impediments, keep his company joyously and mindfully.
> 329. If for company you cannot find a wise and prudent friend who leads a good life, then, like a king who leaves behind a conquered kingdom, or like a lone elephant in the elephant forest, you should go your way alone.
> 330. Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. Live alone and do no evil; be carefree like an elephant in the elephant forest.


---

