Lzh Mg Bu Pm Sk 37Crunching
Pāli / Sanskrit:Capucapukāraka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Capucapukāraka Sutta (The Sutta on Crunching)
Background
The Capucapukāraka Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the Bhikkhuṇī Vibhaṅga or the regulations pertaining to monastics. The context in which this sutta appears is connected to rules governing the eating habits and conduct of bhikkhuṇīs within the monastic community.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the regulations found in the Vinaya Piṭaka are not independent precepts but arise from specific situations. The Buddha, or senior monastics who were his disciples, carefully observed conduct inconsistent with monastic virtue and thereby established the Vinaya rules in order to protect the purity of the community.
This sutta concerns the action of "crunching" or producing chewing sounds (capucapukāraka) during the course of eating. This is not merely a minor point of etiquette or ceremonial propriety, but is rather an expression of one's state of mind, self-mastery, and respect for the Dhamma and Vinaya.
Main Content
In the Vinaya Piṭaka, crunching sounds or other inappropriate noises made while eating are regarded as conduct lacking in carefulness. The sutta stipulates that bhikkhuṇīs should not produce such sounds—particularly those arising from the process of eating, such as chewing, swallowing, or other noises that may cause discomfort to others.
This reflects a fundamental principle in Buddhist practice: mindfulness in every moment. When eating, a bhikkhuṇī should maintain stillness, purity, and full mindfulness of the action taking place—not in order to concentrate on the act of eating itself, but in order to practice meditation and cultivate the mind.
These regulations also relate to the principle of the Prātimokkha, the foundation of monastic conduct, wherein every action of a bhikkhuṇī has an effect on the maintenance of communal discipline. When one practises with care and diligence, one not only preserves oneself but also assists the entire Saṅgha in sustaining restraint and purity.
Practical Significance
The Capucapukāraka Sutta teaches us that there is no detail too small in the life of practice.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.