Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 77Raw Grain

Raw Grain Sutta (Āmakadhañña)

Background

The Raw Grain Sutta (Āmakadhañña) is a Vinaya rule found in the Pātimokkha, the collection of basic disciplinary rules of the fourfold Buddhist community. This rule is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition and reflects the concrete guidance given by the Buddha Śākyamuni to regulate the practice life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.

The background for this rule concerns the handling of food materials, especially raw grain, unmilled rice. In ancient Indian society, raw grain was a basic foodstuff and had economic value. This legal issue arose from specific cases in which bhikkhus had to handle or receive raw grain from the community of devotees, but the handling was not appropriate according to the spirit of practice.

Main Content

The rule on Raw Grain provides that bhikkhus should not store or manage raw grain directly without proper processing. Specifically, if a bhikkhu receives raw grain, there must be a clear process for cleaning, milling, or preparing it so that it becomes edible food. This is intended to avoid inconvenience and the creation of unnecessary property management.

The rule also relates to the principle that food should not be allowed to spoil or be wasted, and to avoiding attachment to material possessions. It reflects a balance between caring for the body (hetu) and avoiding greed or possessiveness (lobha).

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, if a bhikkhu violates this rule, that is, intentionally stores raw grain without the intention of processing it for eating, he may be accused at different levels, from dukkaṭa, improper conduct, up to more serious degrees depending on the nature of the act.

Practical Meaning

The deeper meaning of the Raw Grain rule does not stop at the level of managing physical material things, but points to the urgency of maintaining purity of mind (citta parisuddhi).