Lzh Mg Bi Vb Sk 49Licking the Bowl
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pattanillehaka
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THE DISCOURSE ON LICKING THE BOWL (PATTANILLEHAKA)
Background
The Discourse on Licking the Bowl belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, recorded among the rules of training for the Saṅgha. This is not a discourse setting forth profound theoretical doctrine, but rather a practical disciplinary regulation concerning conduct during meals within the community of bhikkhus.
According to the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, these regulations were established by the Buddha after observing disciples transgressing proper conduct, thereby affecting the conditions and reputation of the Saṅgha. The rules governing eating are not merely matters of daily routine; they also reflect the spirit of training both mind and body, and of minimizing unconscious desires.
Main Content
The Discourse on Licking the Bowl prohibits bhikkhus from licking the bowl (patta) after finishing a meal. This action is regarded as unseemly (asappaya) and unbefitting the station of a bhikkhu engaged in training. Specifically, the Buddha points out that licking the bowl in order to enjoy the remaining morsels of food is a sign of greed for food (lobha), one of the three fundamental unwholesome roots (mūlakusalā) of the mind.
This regulation is not intended to cause the bhikkhus to go hungry or to suffer. Rather, it aims to instill the quality of contentment with what is sufficient (sammattatā) and the absence of compulsion in speech or action. When a bhikkhu partakes of food, he should eat with an appropriate state of mind: receiving food as nourishment to sustain the body for the purpose of practice, and not out of infatuation with pleasant flavors.
This rule also pertains to public discipline (sāmaṇṇa). When the community of bhikkhus lives in the presence of lay people, the act of licking the bowl displeases those who witness it, diminishing their confidence in the Saṅgha and the Dhamma.
Practical Significance
From the perspective of contemporary practice, the Discourse on Licking the Bowl imparts a profound lesson on the consumption of resources and the restraint of desires. Even the most minor form of greed is a root of suffering (dukkha).
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