Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 77Raw Grain
Pāli / Sanskrit:Āmakadhañña
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Raw Grain Sutta (Āmakadhañña)
Background
The Raw Grain Sutta is found in the Pācittiya section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, where actions are prescribed for which bhikkhus, if they violate them, must confess and perform expiation (pācitti). This discourse reflects the context of the Buddha’s time, when bhikkhus lived dependent on alms from the lay community.
In early Buddhist India, agriculture was a major part of the living economy. Bhikkhus were permitted to use certain grains or seeds for sustenance, but they were not allowed to take part in sowing, tending, or harvesting, because such actions were equivalent to "killing" by destroying life in plants or insects.
The Raw Grain Sutta was established to protect the purity of the life of practice and the principle of compassion that bhikkhus must observe.
Main Content
This rule prohibits bhikkhus from using raw grain or seeds that have not been properly processed. Specifically, "raw grain" (āmakadhañña) means grains in their natural state, not cooked, not husked, or not processed so that they no longer have the ability to sprout. If a bhikkhu eats or uses raw grain in this state, especially knowing that it still has the capacity to germinate, he commits a pācittiya offense.
The deeper reason for this rule is that eating raw grain may cause death to the life within the seed or cause harm during digestion. Therefore, to protect the mind of compassion and avoid violating the principle of the First Precept, not killing, the Buddha prescribed that grain used must be dead grain (martaka-dhañña), that is, roasted, dried, or processed sufficiently to remove its ability to germinate.
Practical Meaning
The Raw Grain Sutta teaches that carefulness does not stop with obvious actions, but extends into the small details of daily life.
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