Lzh Mi Bi Pm Sk 69Stuffing Cheeks
Pāli / Sanskrit:Avagaṇḍakāraka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
THE AVAGAṆḌAKĀRAKA DISCOURSE (THE ACT OF STUFFING THE MOUTH)
Background
Avagaṇḍakāraka, in Vietnamese “stuffing the mouth” or “the act of filling the mouth,” is a legal regulation in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddha-Dharma tradition. This regulation falls within the scope of improper conduct related to the way bhikkhus eat. The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled after the Buddha Śākyamuni entered nirvana, based on specific events that occurred in the early monastic community.
This discourse reflects faults in the eating conduct of bhikkhus during the early Buddhist period. At that time, the Buddha issued rules to govern monastic discipline and maintain the purity of the Sangha. The regulations concerning ways of eating are not only related to decorum and etiquette, but also express the spirit of self-control, the middle way (majjhimā paṭipadā), and respect.
Main Content
The act of stuffing the mouth (avagaṇḍa) is considered one of the improper behaviors that bhikkhus must avoid. Specifically, the discourse states that bhikkhus should not eat and drink mindlessly or without self-control, especially by stuffing the mouth full of food. This action is regarded as an expression of greed (lobha) and a lack of dignified composure.
Faults related to eating may include eating too quickly, being careless, not knowing how to wipe the mouth, or not clearing the eating place. Such actions, though not the gravest offenses in the Vinaya Piṭaka, are regarded as signs of lax inner discipline and the loss of mindfulness (sati) in daily life.
The discourse teaches that a bhikkhu must cultivate virtues related to eating. When eating, the bhikkhu must be awake, fully present in awareness, and understand clearly that food is only medicine for maintaining health, not for pleasure or craving. This practice is called “mindful consumption” (sati paribhoga).
🌏 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.