Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pc 166Raw Grain
Pāli / Sanskrit:Āmakadhañña
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Explanation of the Āmakadhañña Sutta (Raw Grain)
Background
The Āmakadhañña Sutta, “Raw Grain,” appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the collection of basic training rules for the monks. This sutta concerns practical matters in monastic life, especially the storage and use of food.
The background for the arising of this sutta is usually connected with specific situations in the Sangha community. When the Buddha saw his disciples acting in unsuitable ways or causing disputes, he established rules to guide and educate them. These were not unreasonable restrictions, but compassionate benefits (hitanukampī), meant to nourish spiritual life, maintain Sangha discipline, and preserve the honor of the Dharma.
Main Content
The Āmakadhañña Sutta concerns rules related to raw grains, grains that have not been cooked or fully processed. Here, “āma” means raw, uncooked, or unprocessed, while “dhañña” means grain: seeds such as rice, barley, beans, and the like.
This matter is directly connected with rules concerning the food that monastics are permitted to use. According to the principle of alms round (piṇḍapāta), monastics may receive food from the faithful, but there are also certain restrictions intended to prevent abuse or the creation of a burden for householders.
The rule in this sutta is not merely a material matter, but has a broader meaning. It is connected with the principle of non-accumulation of possessions (apariggaha), one of the foundations of the life of practice. Unprocessed foods tend to be easily stored for a long time, leading to ownership and unnecessary accumulation, which is contrary to the spirit of the Noble Path.
Practical Meaning
The deeper meaning of the Āmakadhañña Sutta lies in maintaining simplicity and purity in monastic life.
🌏 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.