Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 25Storing Food

Sutra on Storing Food (Sannidhikāraka)

Background

The Sutra on Storing Food belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pātimokkha, the fundamental code of precepts for bhikkhus in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The content of this sutra concerns regulations on storing and managing food in the monastery, an important practical matter in the life of the Sangha.

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, bhikkhus are not permitted to keep food for too long or accumulate reserves of food in a way that could create problems of greed, jealousy, or violation of the spirit of practice. This sutra was established to guide the monastic community in observing moral discipline (sīla) in daily activities, thereby protecting the purity of the Sangha.

Main Content

Sannidhikāraka concerns regulations on keeping food “nearby” or “stored” (sannidhikāra) in the monastery. The sutra prescribes that a bhikkhu should not keep food in an easily accessible place or store it beyond daily need, except with special permission from the Sangha or those in charge.

These rules are based on the principle that greed (lobha) and anxiety about the future can cover the mind of the practitioner, obstructing the development of concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Keeping food too long also easily leads to spoilage or waste, contrary to the Dharma path of non-craving and orderliness.

The Vinaya Piṭaka also gives detailed regulations concerning cases in which food may be stored, such as special food for the sick, living things kept as food, such as fish or shrimp, which may be kept under certain conditions, or food prepared for official monastic activities. However, even in these cases, detailed regulation and supervision by the Sangha remain necessary.