Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 64Visiting Families Before a Meal

Commentary on the Cāritta Sutta: Visiting Families Before a Meal

Background

The Cāritta Sutta (Pāli: cāritta, meaning "conduct" or "proper behavior") is presented within the Vinaya Piṭaka, and reflects the way of life of the early Saṅgha under the guidance of the Buddha Gotama. This text concerns specific rules of practice governing the relationship between bhikkhus and householders (upāsakas), particularly with regard to actions connected with meals and the visiting of families.

In the early period of Buddhism, the monastic community depended upon the offerings of lay devotees. However, in order to maintain purity of virtue (sīla) and to avoid actions that might give rise to doubt or cause harm to the Dhamma, the Buddha established specific rules of conduct. The Cāritta Sutta addresses these matters in detail, especially as they relate to bhikkhus visiting families before the midday meal (piṇḍapāta).

Principal Content

This sutta teaches that bhikkhus should not go to visit families at a time close to those families' own mealtime, as this may create an unfavorable impression. Specifically, when a bhikkhu arrives at a household too near the hour when the residents are about to take their meal, it may be misunderstood as the bhikkhu seeking an invitation to eat, or even as harboring some other private motive.

The Buddha teaches that the proper conduct (cāritta) of a bhikkhu requires the maintenance of purity of feeling and of intention (cetanā). If a bhikkhu's actions might cause a householder to feel unsettled, or might arouse suspicion concerning the purity of the practitioner, then such actions are not in accordance with the Dhamma. Therefore, this sutta encourages bhikkhus to visit families at an appropriate time—one that causes neither inconvenience nor doubt.