San Lo Bu Pm Sk 39Slurping

Surusurukāraka Discourse: On the Offense of Making Slurping Sounds

Background

The Surusurukāraka discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the section regulating disciplinary offenses of monks and nuns. In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to record specific situations that occurred in the early monastic community, through which the Buddha and the disciples established precepts to protect the teaching and internal harmony.

The term “Surusurukāraka,” if according to Pāli sound, suggests slurping or murmuring sounds, uncontrolled sounds or sounds not suitable for the stable way of life of a renunciant. This discourse was recorded to educate generations of monastics in concentration of mind and discipline in speech as well as behavior.

Main Content

In the Vinaya context, this discourse raises the issue of impure or shallow forms of conduct that a monk should not perform. Specifically, it points to making slurping sounds, a slurping sound, surusurukāraka, that is, uncontrolled sounds, often associated with unmindful eating habits or undignified gestures.

For Theravāda monastics, every action in daily life, eating, drinking, speaking, must be performed with full awareness (sati) and self-restraint (samvara). Making slurping sounds while eating or drinking is not only a matter of etiquette, but also reflects a relaxation of the mind and a lack of sufficient carefulness in action (sampajañña).

The discourse records that these behaviors, although they may not be serious offenses under the main legal categories, are still considered improper (acariya) and affect the image of the Sangha. Therefore, monks and nuns need to be reminded to avoid these faults in order to maintain the dignity and respect proper to renunciants.

Practical Meaning

The deeper purpose of the Surusurukāraka discourse does not lie in forbidding a particular sound or gesture, but in training attention to every smallest action.