San Lo Bu Pm Pc 30Eating Food Prepared on a Nun’s Instruction

Explanation of the Paripācita Rule

On Eating Food Prepared According to the Instruction of a Bhikkhunī

Background

The Paripācita rule is a regulation in the traditional Theravāda Vinaya, the Pāli Canon, specifically belonging to the Pātimokkha, the rules that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe daily. This regulation is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Discipline Basket, and reflects practical situations that arose in the monastic community during the Buddha’s time.

The background arose when questions appeared concerning the validity of food in the monastic community. In particular, when a bhikkhunī guides or instructs the preparation of food, can bhikkhus eat that food, and conversely? This is not a trivial matter, but relates directly to the orientation of practice and the purity of the fourfold Sangha: bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās.

Main Content

The Paripācita regulation considers the situation in which food is prepared under the direct instruction of a bhikkhunī, meaning that the person doing the cooking or preparation is not that bhikkhunī, but the steps are carried out according to her instructions. According to the Vinaya, this distinction is very important because it relates to the nature of "pure conduct" (suddha-sīla).

The rule states that if food is prepared by a householder or another monastic, but under the guidance of a bhikkhunī, it is considered "prepared according to instruction" (paripācita). The question arises: should bhikkhus eat this food?

The core principle of the Vinaya here is to maintain the independence and proper relationship among the parts of the fourfold community. According to the regulation, food should be prepared by the very persons who will eat it, or it must be prepared in a way unrelated to the guidance of any female monastic.