San Mg Bu Pm Pc 38Accepting Two or Three Bowls Full
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dvittipattapūrapaṭiggahaṇa
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Dvittipattapūrapaṭiggahaṇa Sutta
On Accepting Two or Three Full Bowls
Background
This text appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha section for nuns, and concerns a matter of practice related to conduct toward food in the renunciant life. The Vinaya Piṭaka was taught by the Blessed One to protect the integrity of the Sangha and to guide disciples in the cultivation of discipline (sīla), one of the three fundamental factors of the path to awakening.
In the Theravāda tradition, studying the Vinaya is not merely following external rules, but gradually cultivating the mind, reducing doubts, desires, and unwholesome habits. This approach reflects the Buddha’s deep understanding of the nature of suffering (dukkha) and its origin.
Main Content
This text deals with a specific regulation: when nuns are provided with food by outsiders, usually rice or other foods in a bowl, they should not accept more than two or three full bowls. Actions beyond this degree are considered a departure from moderation.
This regulation is not without cause. According to the Vinaya rules, restraint in eating and drinking is directly related to guarding the sense faculties (indriyasamvara). The Buddha-Dharma teaches: “Food is used not for enjoyment, not for satisfying pleasure, but only to sustain life, to avoid discomfort, and to support the path of solitary practice” (Dhammapada). Therefore, maintaining balance in eating is an expression of clear awareness (sampajañña), a clear understanding of the purpose of each action.
Moreover, a moderate way of life is also a symbol of respect toward the Buddhist community and their property. When a monastic accepts too much, this not only causes financial loss to those who provide it, but also violates the principle of purity in renunciation (pabbajjā), the going forth from worldly life.
Practical Meaning
For those practicing according to the Theravāda tradition, this text carries profound lessons.
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