Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pd 4Asking for Molasses
Pāli / Sanskrit:Phāṇitaviññāpana
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Sutta on Asking for Molasses (Phāṇitaviññāpana)
Background
The Sutta on Asking for Molasses is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically within the Pācittiya section — those offenses of a lighter nature that monastics are required to observe. These are regulations pertaining to the daily life of bhikkhunīs (nuns) in the early monastic community.
The background of this sutta arises from a specific incident: a bhikkhunī asked for molasses (phāṇita — a kind of sugarcane syrup or treacle) to drink, in order to replenish her energy or support her health. However, requesting or actively soliciting such things from donors — whether laypeople or others — was regarded as an abuse of the trust placed in the bhikkhunī.
Main Content
The sutta establishes that if a bhikkhunī actively requests or asks for molasses from a householder or any individual without legitimate reason, or asks for it without a genuine illness, this is to be considered a Pācittiya — an offense against the rules governing bhikkhunīs.
This regulation reflects a fundamental principle of the Vinaya Piṭaka: bhikkhunīs, who have gone forth in a spirit of compassion and in search of liberation, should not allow themselves to be governed by desires for refined or luxurious foods. To ask for molasses — a food regarded as having a nature that increases greed and attachment — runs contrary to the humility and restraint expected of those who have renounced the world.
However, the sutta also leaves room for exception: if a bhikkhunī is ill or physically weak, and molasses is a genuinely necessary tonic recommended by a physician or offered by supporters, then no offense is incurred. This demonstrates that Early Buddhism balances strict discipline with compassionate pragmatism.
Practical Significance
The Sutta on Asking for Molasses teaches the paramount importance of restraint with regard to material needs.
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