Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 42Giving Food to Ascetics
Pāli / Sanskrit:Acelaka
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The Acelaka Sutta: Offering Meals to Wandering Mendicants
Background
This rule appears in the Pātimokkha (Pāṭimokkha), the central section of the Vinaya Piṭaka belonging to the Theravāda tradition. The Pātimokkha is the body of essential training rules that all members of the Sangha must observe. The name "Acelaka" derives from Pāli, referring to mendicants who have no steady support—those who live precariously, wandering daily in search of food without a fixed lay patron.
This rule was recorded in order to guide monks on the ethical dimensions of providing food to other monastics, particularly those in difficult circumstances. Within the Theravāda context, the distribution of provisions among members of the Sangha is an expression of compassion and communal responsibility.
Main Content
The Acelaka Sutta aims to regulate the conduct of monks when providing food to wandering mendicants. Specifically, this rule reminds them that the act of giving food must not be carried out arbitrarily or motivated by impure intentions. Monks must be clearly mindful of the fundamental principles governing the sharing of the Sangha's common property.
The rule stipulates that when providing food to wandering mendicants, the one who gives must adhere to standards of fairness and transparency. The provision of food must not be used as a means to pursue personal benefit, to create inequity within the Sangha, or to violate the principles concerning the stewardship of communal goods (bhoga).
This regulation also addresses the responsibility of monastics of superior means to support their less provisioned fellow practitioners. It emphasizes that the Sangha is a closely bound community, wherein those who have a personal fund of support should take the initiative to share with those who have none. This reflects the principle of equality and compassion at the heart of the Buddha's teaching.
Practical Significance
The Acelaka Sutta carries profound meaning regarding the ethics of sharing and social responsibility within the Sangha.
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