Lzh Mg Bi Pm Sk 42Overlarge Mouthful
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nātimahanta
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Nātimahanta Sutta (The Overlarge Mouthful)
An Exposition According to the Traditional Theravāda Vinaya
Background
The Nātimahanta Sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha — the Pātimokkha of the bhikkhunīs. The context of the sutta pertains to regulations concerning proper conduct and bodily restraint within the community of female monastics under the guidance of the Blessed One, the Buddha Śākyamuni.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of prohibitions; it comprises profound teachings on self-discipline, respect, and harmony within the monastic community. The Nātimahanta Sutta falls among the Pācittiya rules — those rules pertaining to actions or speech that, while not the most grave in nature, may nonetheless give rise to shame or a lack of reverence.
Principal Content
Although the descriptive information does not provide full detail regarding the specific content of this sutta, based upon the name "Nātimahanta" (an overlarge mouthful, or eating without restraint), this sutta teaches on moderation in daily actions, particularly in the matter of eating and drinking. In early Buddhism, the act of eating is regarded as an action to be performed with full conscious awareness (mindful action).
The sutta teaches that bhikkhunīs should not eat so hastily or with so large a mouthful as to be unseemly or to cause discomfort to those in their vicinity. This relates directly to the factors of moral conscience (hirī) and moral dread (ottappa — the wholesome fear of the consequences of unwholesome action).
The manner in which a monastic eats is regarded as a reflection of her mental state. If one eats without controlling the mouth, this not only manifests a lack of self-mastery, but may also exert an unfavorable influence upon the faith of shepherds, farmers, or ordinary laypeople who happen to observe such conduct. This forms part of Saṅgha discipline — the discipline of the community — intended to protect the honor and purity of the monastic Saṅgha.
Practical Significance
The Nātimahanta Sutta imparts a subtle teaching on mindfulness in the activities of daily life.
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