Lzh Mi Bu Pm Sk 59Scattering Rice

Exposition of the Sitthāvakāraka Sutta (The Scattering Rice Sutta)

Background

The Sitthāvakāraka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, where detailed rules that Buddhist monastics and laypeople should observe are recorded. This text records an event concerning eating rice while practicing alms-round (piṇḍapāta), an important part of the life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.

The context in which this text arose was when the Buddha was staying at a monastery and discovered that some bhikkhus had scattered rice or food during alms-round or while eating. This action not only caused waste, but also violated the spirit of practice: endurance, gratitude, and discipline. Therefore, the Buddha issued specific regulations to correct this conduct.

Main Content

The Sitthāvakāraka Sutta revolves around the question of whether bhikkhus are permitted to scatter rice or food, and under what conditions if permitted. The text records that the Buddha prohibited bhikkhus from scattering food aimlessly, especially rice, for the following reasons:

First, scattering food is an act of wasting the property of other beings. Rice is offered to monastics with the compassionate faith of laypeople, so wasting it is disrespectful toward the faith and merit of the people.

Second, this text reminds us that such an act may harm small living beings in the ground or among the grains of rice. Loving-kindness (mettā) and non-harming (ahiṃsā) are core values of Theravada Buddhism.

Third, scattering food shows a lack of gratitude and discipline, important virtues in the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo), especially right conduct (sammā-kammanto).

However, the text also allows rice to be scattered in specific cases, such as when the rice is spoiled or cannot be eaten; the practitioner may scatter it in places where it causes no harm or where other beings may receive it.