Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pd 5Asking for Milk
Pāli / Sanskrit:Khīraviññāpana
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Khīraviññāpana Sutta (Asking for Milk)
Background
The Khīraviññāpana Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, which records the rules of training that the Buddha and his disciples were to follow. This text appears within the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha (the monks' code of discipline), specifically among the rules concerning what monks should not do and how they ought to conduct themselves within the Sangha community.
The context in which this text was established typically relates to specific situations that arose in the early history of the Sangha. When disciplinary matters emerged from improper actions by monks, the Buddha would promulgate regulations (dhamma) to govern and elevate the ethical conduct of the monastic community. The purpose was not punishment, but rather guidance in the contemplation of mind and the cultivation of mutual respect.
Main Content
The Khīraviññāpana Sutta centers on the matter of monks requesting milk or asking to be provided with special nourishment. The specific content of this text has not been fully translated and rendered into all languages; however, according to the general context of the Vinaya Pitaka, rules such as these arose from the inappropriate behavior of certain monks.
Typically, texts concerning the requesting of milk (khīra-viññāpana) relate to the principle that monks should not solicit things beyond their basic needs for survival. In particular, a monk should not actively cause others to serve him through words or actions of a "requesting" nature (viññāpana), since this is contrary to the spirit of non-imposition and the patient endurance (khanti) proper to one who has gone forth. Instead, a monk should accept whatever food is offered by the faithful, in a spirit of gratitude and free from greed.
This principle reflects one of the core values of the Vinaya Pitaka: self-restraint, straightforwardness, and the avoidance of indirect or manipulative actions toward others, even if unintentional.
Practical Significance
The Khīraviññāpana Sutta teaches us a profound lesson about independence of mind and liberation from subtle forms of craving.
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