Lzh Mu Bi Vb Sk 46Nopari khādanīyabhojanīyasya pātraṁ dhārayiṣyāma
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nopari khādanīyabhojanīyasya pātraṁ dhārayiṣyāma
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Exposition of the Sutra on the Bowl Containing Food
Background
This sutra belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, the regulations on discipline within the Buddhist Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of dry prohibitions, but a body of instructions that helps those gone forth nurture spiritual life and live harmoniously in community.
The content of the sutra relates to the use of the pātra (eating bowl), an essential implement of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. The bowl is not only a material object but also a symbol of cleanliness, stillness, and readiness to receive. According to monastic regulations, the way the bowl is used and protected reflects an attitude of respect toward what is provided through the compassion of the community.
Our predecessors established these detailed rules under the Buddha's instruction for the purpose of protecting the purity of practice and avoiding improper conduct that could cause a loss of faith among those who provide food.
Main Content
This sutra teaches that those gone forth should not keep food (khādanīya-bhojanīya, things that can be eaten, whether primary or secondary) in their bowls beyond the necessary time. The principle of "nopari" (not beyond, not in excess) is central to this rule.
The purpose of this regulation is:
First, to maintain purity of character. If those gone forth store food in their bowls, there is a danger that it will spoil, become contaminated, or give rise to craving, all of which run counter to the mental conduct of one who has gone forth.
Second, to carry out the practical observance of not eating after the prescribed time. According to the discipline of Theravāda Buddhism, bhikkhus should eat only from morning until noon, around the time when the sun is at its height. Keeping food to eat at another time is not only a violation of the rule but also a failure to respect the discipline of self-restraint taught by the Buddha.
Third, to build trust with lay supporters.
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