Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Sk 35Receiving With Attention on the Bowl
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pattasaññīpaṭiggahaṇa
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on Receiving the Bowl with Mindfulness
Background
The Pattasaññīpaṭiggahaṇa Sutta (Receiving the Bowl with Mindfulness) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and records rules concerning how monks and nuns should handle the bowl (patta) in daily life. The bowl is not merely a material tool for holding food, but also a symbol of humility, discipline, and adherence to the rules of the Sangha.
In the historical context, the Buddha and his disciples established principles to maintain purity and order within the Sangha. Every detail in the life of practice has a purpose of cultivation. Even receiving and holding the bowl is an opportunity to train mindfulness. This discourse reflects the idea that there is no trivial action in the discipline; all are occasions for practicing mindfulness and clear comprehension.
Main Content
Pattasaññīpaṭiggahaṇa emphasizes that when a member of the monastic community receives a bowl from another person or from a prescribed place, there must be mindfulness (sati) and awareness (sampajañña). Specifically, the practitioner must be clearly aware of the action being performed, not careless or mechanical.
Receiving the bowl properly includes receiving it politely, without greed or rudeness; checking whether the bowl is clean; and ensuring that receiving it does not violate any rule in the discipline. Attitude is central: the bowl should be received as an instrument of practice, not as an object for satisfying sensual desire.
The Vinaya Piṭaka also notes specific situations: who is permitted to hand over the bowl, such as a bhikkhu, bhikkhunī, layman, or laywoman, and impermissible ways of giving and receiving, such as through non-Buddhists or in unclean circumstances. Every detail is directed toward one aim: protecting the purity of the Sangha and training the mind.
Practical Meaning
On a deeper level, Pattasaññīpaṭiggahaṇa teaches that mindfulness does not apply only when sitting in meditation or listening to a discourse.
🌏 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.