Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Sk 77Licking the Bowl
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pattanillehaka
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SUTTA ON LICKING THE BOWL (Pattanillehaka)
Background
This sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, one of the three main divisions of the Pāli Canon. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only the monastic code, but also training rules and humane instruction that help bhikkhus, renunciant monks, train the mind and actions. These regulations arose from specific events that occurred in the Sangha while the Buddha was still alive.
The sutta on “licking the bowl” (Pattanillehaka, patta meaning bowl, illehaka meaning licking) records an issue related to the use of monastic implements, especially the alms bowl (patta). In early Buddhism, the bowl symbolized a mind of equality, kindness, and contented use, relying on people of faith without selection, liking, or disliking.
Main Content
This sutta concerns the situation of some bhikkhus licking the bowl after eating in order to get remaining bits of rice. At first, this may seem like a way of saving food, but the Blessed One perceived a deeper problem: this action reflected greed (lobha), the mind wanting more and not knowing contentment.
The Blessed One issued a rebuke and promulgated a paccaya, a monastic injunction, a rule of conduct forbidding bhikkhus to lick the bowl in order to get food. This regulation is not unreasonable harshness, but a means of training (pariyatti) intended to build a proper state of mind, a sense of contentment, and reduced craving.
The act of licking the bowl is often regarded as uneducated behavior that diminishes the dignity of a bhikkhu. It can also negatively affect the faith of those who provide food. Therefore, this rule emphasizes the dignity and self-mastery of monastics.
Practical Meaning
The sutta teaches that monastics must train not only the body but also the mind.
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