Ka Bu Pm Sk 58Not Eat Weighing Food
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not eat weighing food
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Explanation of the Discourse on Not Eating Food That Has Been Weighed
Background
This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Khandaka section, where the regulations for practice of the Sangha under the guidance of the Blessed Buddha are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not a set of arbitrary prohibitions, but rules born from specific situations in the collective life of monks and nuns, intended to maintain discipline, harmony, and favorable conditions for practice.
In the Buddha’s time, the Sangha grew rapidly. Bhikkhus came from many social classes, with different habits and dietary needs. Some issues arose concerning the handling of food, especially weighing, measuring, or bargaining over the amount of food during meals. Such behavior caused dispute, loss of heedfulness, and ran counter to the spirit of liberation in Buddhism.
Main Content
The discourse “Not Eating Food That Has Been Weighed” establishes that bhikkhus should not eat portions of food that they have weighed or chosen beforehand. Specifically, when receiving distributed food, the practitioner should accept it with a joyful mind and should not calculate in detail its weight, quality, or value.
The act of weighing, selecting, or bargaining over food reflects remaining attachment to material needs, expectation, and comparison. These actions violate the basic spirit of the renunciant life: living simply, with self-mastery, not governed by desire. In addition, such behavior can cause division in the Sangha, because one person may receive a better portion than another, giving rise to comparison and dissatisfaction.
In the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Buddha established this rule so that bhikkhus would practice freedom and not be bound by trifles. Accepting distributed food without weighing it is a way to train the mind in equality (samatā) and non-covetousness (anabhijjhā), two important qualities on the path of practice.
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