Upp Sk 43Breaking Lumps
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kabaḷāvacchedaka
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on Dividing Lumps of Food (Kabaḷāvacchedaka)
Background
The Sutta on Dividing Lumps of Food (Kabaḷāvacchedaka) is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, especially in the Rules for Monks and Nuns (Bhikkhuṇī Vibhaṅga). This sutta records practical guidance related to rules on how to consume food in the monastic community of Theravāda Buddhism.
The historical background of this sutta arises from practical issues that occurred in communal practice. The Buddha and his disciples recognized that there needed to be not only rules about the way of life, but also detailed guidance on how to behave in specific situations, in order to maintain harmony, frugality, and adherence to the principle of the path (Dhamma).
Main Content
The Sutta on Dividing Lumps of Food concerns a matter that seems ordinary but bears deep meaning: how food is divided, especially things divided into pieces such as cakes, rice, or other solid foods in the daily life of monks and nuns.
The basic principle addressed by this sutta is dividing food into smaller portions for fair distribution to all members. This is not merely a logistical means, but reflects the principle of the Sangha: equality and mutual support among members of the community.
The sutta instructs that when food is divided into small portions, each person must receive a fair share; no one is permitted to take advantage of higher status or greater strength to seize a larger portion. This reflects the spirit of Mettā, loving-kindness without discrimination, and Cāga, generous relinquishment.
Furthermore, this rule is also related to mental concentration in daily life. Instead of turning the mind toward competing over food, monks and nuns can focus on practicing and developing the Dharma.
Practical Meaning
The Sutta on Dividing Lumps of Food is not only guidance for managing food, but also a lesson in not-self (Anattā) and purity of morality (Sīla).
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.