Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Dh Np 12An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnapañcabandhana
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Discourse on An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends (Unapancabandhana)
Background
This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Pitaka, specifically in the Pacittiya section of the Early Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Pitaka is the collection of regulations on discipline for monastics and nuns, established through causes and conditions arising from specific events in the Buddha’s life.
The title “Unapancabandhana” (An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends) refers to the matter of repairing the patta, the almsbowl, one of the essential requisites of a monk or nun in the Buddhist tradition. The bowl is used for eating rice and receiving offerings from the people. Over long use, a bowl may crack or be damaged, and may need repair with bindings or straps in order to preserve its function.
This discourse reflects the Buddha’s deep concern for maintaining reasonable discipline between spiritual practice and the lawful use of material requisites. These are not arbitrary regulations, but meaningful legal guidance intended to teach disciples moderation and respect for property.
Main Content
The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in the existing descriptive information. However, based on the context of the traditional Theravada Vinaya Pitaka, this discourse regulates the condition and use of the patta bowl when it has fewer than five mends.
According to the general principle in the Vinaya Pitaka, a bowl with too many repaired points is considered no longer suitable for use and must be discarded or offered onward. However, if the bowl has fewer than five mends, the monastic is still permitted to continue using it. This expresses the Buddha’s practical position: not encouraging wastefulness or carelessness in using property, but also not forcing disciples to discard items that still have value for use.
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