Lzh Mu Bu Vb Sk 51Mouth Full
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sakabaḷa
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The Sakabaḷa Sutta (Mouth Full) — Explanation
Background
The Sakabaḷa sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the explanation of the Vinaya for female bhikkhus. The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled after the Buddha entered nirvana, based on the regulations he established over forty years of teaching.
This sutta records an event in the process by which the Buddha built the Sangha. As the Buddha-Dharma expanded, issues of Sangha discipline arose from specific actions by bhikkhus or bhikkhunīs. Each rule in the Vinaya has a clear cause and was taught by the Buddha to maintain purity and harmony in the Sangha.
The title “Sakabaḷa” (Mouth Full) shows that this sutta concerns unsuitable eating or speaking behavior by female bhikkhus. In the Theravāda tradition, eating and drinking are carefully regulated activities because they are related to self-mastery, mindfulness, and respect for the community.
Main Content
The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated in the provided descriptive information. However, based on the context of the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the Sakabaḷa sutta likely records a situation in which a female bhikkhu ate with her mouth full, or consumed food excessively and without flexibility within the Sangha.
The Buddha established rules so that female bhikkhus would eat and drink with moderation, not eat too hurriedly, not speak with the mouth full of food, and maintain a dignified attitude during meals. These regulations arise from the principle of the Pāṭimokkha, the list of collective rules that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe.
According to the Theravāda tradition, each Vinaya rule has three elements: (1) the initial situation that gave rise to the rule, (2) the Buddha’s statement of the rule, and (3) the detailed explanation of the nature of the violation and the appropriate penalty. The Sakabaḷa sutta records these elements so that bhikkhunīs may examine themselves and maintain discipline.
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