Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pd 11Receiving Food From Designated Families

Tatiyapāṭidesanīya Sutta: Receiving Rice from Designated Families

Background

Tatiyapāṭidesanīya is found in the Pāṭidesanīya section, the rules requiring acknowledgment, of the Vinaya Piṭaka, within the disciplinary training program for bhikkhus in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. These regulations were laid down by the Buddha to maintain the purity and discipline of the Saṅgha, while also protecting the reputation of the community before the people.

The background from which this rule arose was that some bhikkhus engaged in inappropriate conduct related to receiving food from particular families. The Buddha, seeing that such conduct could cause misunderstanding or diminish the faith of the lay community, established clear guidelines. The Tatiyapāṭidesanīya rule is the third in a series of rules requiring public acknowledgment when violated.

Main Content

The Tatiyapāṭidesanīya rule concerns a bhikkhu receiving food, especially rice or main meal portions, from designated families (paṭidesita). When a family invites a bhikkhu to come regularly for alms or promises to provide food periodically, this creates a special relationship that may lead to misunderstandings.

The Buddha pointed out that a bhikkhu’s excessive dependence on a particular family not only violates the principle of "non-attachment" (anurodha), but also adversely affects the reputation of the Saṅgha. From the perspective of the lay community, people may suspect that the bhikkhu has hidden aims or receives special favor for private reasons.

When this rule is violated, the bhikkhu must publicly acknowledge (paṭidesanīya) before the Saṅgha assembly or before fellow monastics that he has violated it. This is not a heavy penalty such as "nissaggiya pācittiya" (forfeiture offense), but it is a serious and public acknowledgment of fault intended to restore trust.