Lzh Dg Bi Pm Sk 29Even Measure of Curry
Pāli / Sanskrit:Samasūpaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Samasūpaka Sutta (Equal Curry)
Background
The Samasūpaka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition of the Buddha Dharma. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the rules of moral cultivation and monastic discipline that the Buddha established for the Sangha. Unlike discourses on Dharma, the Vinaya Piṭaka focuses on practical conduct, the sharing of property within the Sangha, and fair behavior.
This text records an event in the life of the Sangha community, when the bhikkhus had to share donated supplies, in this case curry or soup (sūpaka). It is a practical lesson on the principle of equality and fairness (sama), a core value in the Dharma of Theravāda Buddhism.
The historical context shows that bhikkhus lived mainly by the generosity of laypeople. Items provided to the Sangha had to be shared according to fair criteria, so that disputes or discontent would not arise in the monastic community.
Main Content
The Samasūpaka Sutta deals with the matter of sharing curry equally (samasūpaka, “evenly divided curry”). According to the account, when curry was provided for the Sangha, distribution had to follow a strict principle so that each bhikkhu received an equal portion.
The Vinaya Piṭaka prescribes that items donated to the Sangha are communal property, not the property of individuals. Therefore, sharing must be fair, based on the number of community members. If there is favoritism or discrimination in the distribution process, this violates the spirit of harmony (Saṃgha) and gives rise to disputes.
The text records specific instructions on how to calculate portions, ensuring transparency and fairness. This is an example of how the Vinaya Piṭaka resolves practical daily issues in a principled way, always aiming at harmony and mutual respect within the Sangha.
Practical Meaning
The deeper meaning of this text lies in the principle of equality (samata) in Buddhism.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.