Lzh Mu Bi Pm Sk 66Licking the Bowl

Exposition of the Pattanillehaka Sutra (Licking the Rice Bowl)

Background

The Pattanillehaka Sutra is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Early Buddhist tradition, expressing the Buddha’s attention to monastic discipline and to details that may seem small but have deep significance in practice. This sutra concerns regulations on how food is handled after a meal, especially the cleaning of bowls.

In the Buddha’s time, monks and nuns practiced with a humble posture and deeply valued every grain of rice and every drop of water. The Buddha not only taught the Dharma, but also gave concrete guidance on daily life in order to nourish virtue, frugality, and reverence for support.

Main Content

The sutra states a rule concerning the act of licking bowls after finishing a meal. The Buddha prescribed that after a meal, monks and nuns should not lick bowls (pattanillehaka) as a way to deal with remaining rice. Although this act may seem like a means of thrift, it is considered inappropriate to the practice of a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī.

This rule is not due to fear of impurity, but because it expresses a lack of culture and humility in conduct. When a practitioner licks the bowl, they appear overly attached to food, which contradicts the spirit of “non-greed” (avijjā-mukti) taught in Buddhism. In addition, this act may make a poor impression on those who see it, affecting the community’s trust in the Sangha.

Instead, the Buddha instructed that monks and nuns should clean bowls politely with the hand or suitable implements, returning them clean. If there is leftover food, it should be handled appropriately according to the regulations of the Sangha, rather than being left in the bowl or licked clean.