Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Np 22An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnapañcabandhana
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Discourse on an Almsbowl with Fewer Than Five Mends
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically among the rules concerning the implements of practice of bhikkhus. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the foundational legal and disciplinary teaching for ethical education in the Saṅgha, established by the Buddha to protect harmony, self-restraint, and diligence in practice.
The bowl (patta in Pāli) is one of the most basic requisites of bhikkhus in practice. It is not only a tool for almsround, but also a symbol of simplicity and non-accumulation of property. The regulation concerning the condition of the bowl reflects the philosophy of practice in Theravāda Buddhism: moderation, restraint, and respect for each object received.
The discourse on “Ūnapañcabandhana,” a bowl with fewer than five mends, concerns a specific but important topic: the standards for determining when a bowl no longer meets the minimum quality required and therefore needs replacement. This relates directly to the practice of restraint with material goods and responsibility in using the property of the Saṅgha.
Main Content
In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, regulations concerning the condition of a bhikkhu’s bowl are set out in detail. A bowl is considered “still usable” if it can still hold food without leaking or excessive damage. However, when a bowl is damaged to the point of requiring many repairs, specifically five mends or more, it is considered no longer suitable for use.
Conversely, this discourse emphasizes that a bowl with fewer than five mends (Ūnapañcabandhana) is still permitted for use and still meets the standard of the Vinaya. This shows that Theravāda Buddhism does not prohibit absolutely, but instead establishes reasonable boundaries, allowing bhikkhus to maintain basic requisites as long as they can still be repaired and still serve their purpose.
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