Lzh Dg Bu Pm Np 21An Extra Almsbowl

Sutta on an Additional Bowl (Patta)

Background

The Sutta on an Additional Bowl is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the section on the property of the Sangha (Khandhaka), detailed rules for managing the communal and personal property of bhikkhus. In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is the ethical and disciplinary foundation for maintaining a pure and harmonious community of monastics.

This story appears in the context of the Buddha's instruction to the Sangha on the use of the alms bowl (patta). This bowl is one of the essential possessions of every bhikkhu, used to receive food from the community. The problem arose when a bhikkhu possessed an extra bowl beyond the permitted number, from which disputes and unlawful matters arose within the Sangha.

Main Content

The sutta stipulates that each bhikkhu is permitted to keep only one alms bowl according to the rule of the Vinaya. If a bhikkhu has an additional bowl beyond the allowed number, this is regarded as an act in violation of the Vinaya. The bowl considered surplus property must be handled according to the regulations of the Sangha.

The Buddha taught that keeping extra possessions, whether bowls or other items, is not in keeping with the spirit of renunciation and humility. The purpose of going forth is to reduce attachment to material property, not to accumulate it. If a bhikkhu has an extra bowl regarded as surplus, he must report it to the Sangha, make it public, or give it to other bhikkhus.

This rule reflects fundamental principles of the Vinaya: transparency, collective responsibility, and the removal of causes that give rise to envy or contention in the community. The bowl is not a small matter, because it symbolizes the self-sufficiency and spiritual independence of a bhikkhu.

Practical Meaning

The sutta teaches control of possessions and honesty in observing the Vinaya. The story of the additional bowl is not only an administrative rule, but also a lesson in how to view property.