Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Pc 38Storing Food
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sannidhikāraka
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THE SUTTA ON STORING FOOD
Sannidhikāraka — The Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka
Background
The Sannidhikāraka rule (Pāli: sannidhikāraka, meaning “one who stores nearby” or “one who possesses a store”) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically among the disciplinary rules of prohibition (Pācittiya). It is one of the practical regulations intended to train the habits of bhikkhus living collectively in the Sangha.
The context in which this rule arose is connected with the management of food and provisions in the early Buddhist Sangha. The Buddha understood that monastics needed sufficient nourishment to maintain health for practice, but also needed to avoid falling into greed, excessive storing, quarrels, and conflict within the Sangha. Therefore, he established specific rules to balance the needs of survival with the ideal of practice.
Main Content
The Sannidhikāraka rule states that bhikkhus should not on their own store food, especially perishable food, near themselves for private purposes. If they store too much beyond reasonable need, especially things that can be kept for a long time without sharing them with the Sangha, this violates the spirit of shared communal property and leads to a Pācittiya offense, a medium-level violation in the Vinaya Piṭaka.
The essential point of this rule is intentional private hoarding out of greed. If monastics keep food for the common use of the Sangha, or keep just enough for personal need for a short time, usually not more than six days, this is permitted. However, possessing and preserving food with a mentality of appropriation, fear of want, or desire for a “private store” is considered a violation.
This rule also reflects the Buddha’s deep understanding of human psychology.
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