Lzh Mi Bu Pm Sk 69Stuffing Cheeks
Pāli / Sanskrit:Avagaṇḍakāraka
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The Avagaṇḍakāraka Sutta: A Disciplinary Rule on Bulging the Cheeks
Background
The Avagaṇḍakāraka Sutta appears in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pāli Canon, especially among the regulations concerning the daily life of the Sangha. This disciplinary rule was set forth by the Buddha to govern the conduct of bhikkhus while eating, in order to preserve calm and dignity in the life of practice.
The foundation of the text is the Five Precepts that any disciple should practice. However, from the time the Sangha was widely established, the Buddha gradually issued more detailed disciplinary rules (Vinaya). These regulations were not meant to punish, but to guide the community in living harmoniously, focusing on the work of practice, and avoiding actions that cause distraction or loss of dignity.
Main Content
The disciplinary rule on bulging the cheeks, avagaṇḍakāraka, prohibits bhikkhus from stuffing the mouth full of food or puffing out the cheeks unconsciously. This action is considered undignified and contrary to the manner of a practitioner living quietly and calmly.
According to the Vinaya Pitaka, when eating rice or other solid food, bhikkhus must eat gently and slowly, not hurriedly. Stuffing the mouth wide full or allowing food to spill out is not only a matter of hygiene, but also reflects an unmindful state of mind. This rule teaches that eating and drinking are not unconscious acts or satisfaction of desire, but opportunities to cultivate attention (sati, mindfulness) and restrain the senses.
When one bulges the cheeks or eats mindlessly, the mind cannot be peaceful; the eyes may not be fully composed, and the whole body loses its ease. Moreover, this image distracts others nearby, pulling them away from meditation and from the restraint of craving.
Practical Meaning
The Avagaṇḍakāraka rule teaches us that the practice of the Buddha-Dharma does not take place only at the altar or in formal stillness, but in every daily action, including eating. There is no small action that is not an opportunity for training the mind.
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