Lzh Mi Bi Vb Pd 6Asking for Curd

The Sutta on Asking for Curd (Dadhiviññāpana)

Background

Dadhiviññāpana is a small but meaningful part of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda tradition. This sutta belongs to the Pātimokkha rules, the collection of precepts that bhikkhus must observe. Specifically, it appears in the Pācittiya category, the minor offenses requiring confession, where particular situations concerning alms and the receiving of food are recorded.

The historical background of this rule concerns the early period of the Sangha, when bhikkhus lived dependent on alms from laypeople. The Buddha developed detailed guidelines to maintain purity and avoid imbalance, especially in the relationships between bhikkhus and donors.

Main Content

The Dadhiviññāpana Sutta deals with an everyday but subtle situation: when a bhikkhu asks or hints to a donor that he would like to receive a particular kind of food, in this case “dadhi,” curd or yogurt. This action may seem harmless, but the Buddha Dharma sees clearly its hidden danger.

The rule is stated as follows: a bhikkhu should not “ask” (viññāpana) or clearly hint at foods or requisites that he wishes to receive. This act violates the principle of the Pāṭimokkha because it reflects desire (lobha) and conceit (māna). A bhikkhu should not control or direct giving; instead, he should accept calmly whatever laypeople bring.

The penalty for this act is Pācittiya, an offense that the bhikkhu must acknowledge and confess before the Sangha or before another bhikkhu. It is not a grave offense like Pārājika, an offense of defeat, but it is serious enough to require dignified correction.

Practical Meaning

The Dadhiviññāpana Sutta teaches us a profound lesson about the nature of attachment and how it enters daily actions.