San Mg Bu Pm Np 22An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnapañcabandhana
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The Scripture on an Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends (Ūnapañcabandhana)
Background
This scripture is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, the code of discipline for bhikkhus, a core text in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the rules of training that the Buddha laid down for his renunciant disciples, in order to maintain ethical discipline and create favorable conditions for spiritual practice.
The Ūnapañcabandhana scripture concerns a seemingly small matter that nevertheless has profound meaning: almsbowls (pātra), the sacred implements used by bhikkhus for almsround, become damaged and need repair. The almsbowl is not merely an ordinary object but also a symbol of dependence on minimal material things and the spirit of reasonable property management in the life of the Sangha.
Main Content
This scripture prescribes that an almsbowl is considered “good” and worthy of use in the practice of almsround if it has fewer than five mends (ūna-pañca-bandhana). In other words, an almsbowl with four mends or fewer is still permitted for use, but when it exceeds that measure, that is, five mends or more, the almsbowl is considered too damaged and no longer suitable for use.
This regulation reflects essential principles of the Vinaya Piṭaka: not being deeply attached to material things, but also not arrogantly refusing requisites necessary for life. The purpose is for monastics to maintain an attitude of not being fastidious about minor repairs, while also recognizing the reasonable boundary of when a requisite is truly no longer usable.
In addition, this scripture also implicitly indicates that the Sangha encourages maintenance and repair: if an almsbowl needs only three or four mends, bhikkhus may continue to use it rather than hastily discard it. This is an expression of compassion for resources and the avoidance of waste in the Sangha.
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