Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Pc 33Accepting Two or Three Bowls Full
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dvittipattapūrapaṭiggahaṇa
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Sutta on Accepting Two or Three Full Bowls
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically the Pātimokkha in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the section of rules for bhikkhunīs. These are detailed regulations intended to guide the practice life of bhikkhunīs, ensuring harmony in the Sangha and observance of the spirit of the true Dharma.
In the history of early Buddhism, the issue of food and the manner of receiving it was considered extremely important. The Buddha never allowed bhikkhunīs to pursue gains or violate the character of mendicancy. Therefore, the rules on “receiving bowls” are not unreasonable restrictions, but wise means for protecting the purity of practice.
Main Content
The rule “Accepting two or three full bowls” (Dvittipattapūrapaṭiggahaṇa) concerns how much food a bhikkhunī may receive at one time. According to this principle, if a lay follower or householder invites a bhikkhunī to eat, the bhikkhunī may accept two or three full bowls: neither more nor less. What is the purpose of this rule?
First, it prevents ambition and indulgence in food. If a bhikkhunī is too greedy and accepts too much rice, this contradicts the spirit of alms-mendicancy: living simply and abandoning desire. Second, it protects those who provide food from being burdened. If every renunciant accepted too much, the burden on laypeople would become extremely great, weakening the relationship between Sangha and laity. Third, two or three full bowls is an amount sufficient to nourish the body, not causing hunger, yet not turning practice into a life of comfort.
This rule also reflects the principle of “neither too much nor too little” (majjhimā paṭipadā), the Middle Way, avoiding the two extremes of asceticism and pleasure. This is the foundational characteristic of the Buddhadharma from its earliest days.
Practical Meaning
In the context of modern practice, this sutta teaches us that purity does not lie in material things, but in the mind.
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