Upp Pd 3Receiving Food From Designated Families
Pāli / Sanskrit:Tatiyapāṭidesanīya
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Discourse on the Third Designation - Tatiyapāṭidesanīya
Background
Tatiyapāṭidesanīya, the third rule requiring acknowledgment, is part of the Pācittiya rules, those requiring confession, in the Theravāda Vinaya tradition. This discourse records an event in the process by which the Blessed Buddha built discipline for the monastic community, specifically the regulations concerning bhikkhus receiving food from designated families.
The background arose from incidents in the outskirts of cities, where bhikkhus did not control their greed in receiving food. Some bhikkhus repeatedly gathered at the homes of particular families to receive food or other items, making those families feel harassed. This affected the esteem of the Sangha in the worldly community.
Main Content
The discourse states that if a bhikkhu repeatedly receives food from a specifically designated family, up to three consecutive times, without that family's clear request, he has violated a rule that the Blessed Buddha had admonished three times.
The "designation" (pāṭidesanīya) here is not broad permission, but the indication or suggestion of a specific family that the bhikkhu should not come too often. If after three admonitions he continues that conduct, the bhikkhu commits a Pācittiya offense, a fault requiring confession before the people.
This is built upon the principle that bhikkhus must maintain humility in receiving food from the world. Repeatedly gathering at one house makes the bhikkhu easily appear to be a "friend of the family" rather than a bodhisattva-like monastic who has gone forth. This wearies families and affects the honor of the Sangha.
Practical Meaning
Tatiyapāṭidesanīya teaches a profound lesson on self-restraint and respect for the boundaries drawn by the world. It is not merely a formal regulation but reflects an important spiritual principle: the practitioner must know when to stop, not allowing greed and habit to govern actions.
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