Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 26Storing Food

DISCOURSE ON STORING FOOD (Sannidhikāraka)

Background

The rule concerning the storing of food appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically among the prohibitions (Pācittiya) of the bhikkhu discipline. It is part of the detailed body of regulations intended to govern the daily life of monastics, especially matters concerning the management of possessions and food.

The background for the establishment of this rule is connected with a concrete situation in the Sangha during the Buddha’s time. As the Sangha grew, the management of property and stored food became more complex. The rule on storing food (sannidhikāraka) was established to avoid improprieties: to prevent waste, to prevent taking advantage of opportunities to accumulate goods beyond what is necessary, and to avoid the adverse spiritual consequences that arise from unskillful management of property.

Main Content

The rule on storing food in the Pācittiya forbids bhikkhus from keeping food for too long or in excessive abundance beyond reasonable need. In particular, a bhikkhu should not keep food ready for use over a long period, especially food that easily spoils. Storage is permitted only when there is a clear purpose and a reasonable time limit, such as keeping provisions for the coming days, for times of illness, or for special emergencies.

The rule emphasizes that a bhikkhu should maintain a spirit of non-accumulation with regard to material things. Food is regarded as a requisition that supports practice, not as property to be stored up for economic purposes or future security. If a bhikkhu stores too much, this may lead to a greedy mind, anxiety over material things, and estrangement from the simple life of one gone forth.

Exemptions include: storing for the sake of the sick, preparing for difficult periods (stormy rainy seasons or times when there are no almsgivers), or circumstances explicitly allowed in other regulations of the Vinaya Piṭaka.