Lzh Dg Bi Pm Sk 28Receiving in Proportion

The Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa Sutta (Receiving Alms in Equal Portions)

Background

The Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundation of the life of practice in Theravāda Buddhism. The rules and regulations recorded there are not oppressive bonds, but instructions that help the community of monks and nuns live in harmony, concentration, and peace in their practice.

The Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa Sutta (Receiving Alms in Equal Portions) arises from the practical needs of the Buddhist community of monks and nuns. When devotees offer food and provisions to the community, there must be a fair and reasonable principle for distribution. This rule lies within the Pāṭimokkhasaṃvara, the Pātimokkha verses of the Vinaya Piṭaka, ensuring that no bhikkhu or bhikkhunī goes without, while also preventing disputes or injustice in the community of practice.

The historical background of this rule is tied to the principle of “living together in harmony” (saṃgha-sammuti), one of the core values of the Buddhist Sangha.

Main Content

Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa means “receiving alms, or offerings, in equal portions,” that is, when food or property is offered to the community, it must be divided into equal portions for each member of the Sangha.

This rule instructs that when a family or group offers food, that food should not be monopolized or distributed unfairly. Instead, each bhikkhu or bhikkhunī receives an equal portion, according to the quantity available and the capacity of the community at that time.

This relates directly to the Pātimokkha, the basic rules that each bhikkhu must observe. If someone receives more than is fair without sharing with the community, or tries to keep property beyond his or her portion, that is considered a violation of the spirit of the Vinaya. This rule is also linked with the virtue of “shared merit” (sādhāraṇa-puñña), whereby all members of the Sangha benefit fairly from offerings.