Upp Sk 27Receiving in Proportion
Pāli / Sanskrit:Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa
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Interpretation of the Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa Sutta
Background
The Samasūpakapaṭiggahaṇa Sutta (Receiving in Proportion) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, where the rules of conduct and ethics for bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, and those training in the Buddha's teaching are preserved. The Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation for governing the religious community, teaching how to live in harmony and mutual respect.
This sutta reflects a specific situation in monastic life, when bhikkhus received gifts and offerings from laypeople. The matter of receiving in a balanced and reasonable way is not simple. This is an area in which the Buddha gave detailed instruction to avoid disputes, jealousy, and unfairness within the monastic community.
Main Content
"Receiving in Proportion" refers to the principle of fairness when sharing common property or offerings in the monastic community. The central point is that there should not be excessive distinction or favoritism among bhikkhus.
According to the Theravāda tradition, when the community receives common property, whether money, food, building materials, or requisites for practice, distribution must follow a reasonable principle. This means that bhikkhus of the same status and same level of practice should receive equally. If there are differences, they must be based on legitimate criteria such as age, height of attainment, or special responsibilities in the community.
This sutta also implicitly indicates that favoritism or unfairness in the distribution of property is an action contrary to the Buddha-Dharma, capable of producing resentment, jealousy, and the breaking of harmony (samaggī) in the community. A divided community of bhikkhus cannot properly carry out the work of propagating the Dharma and practicing.
Practical Meaning
In the context of modern practice, this sutta reminds us that fairness and transparency in managing resources are important factors in maintaining ethics and trust. Practice centers, whether monasteries or study groups, need to establish clear principles for sharing property and offerings.
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