San Mg Bu Pm Pd 3Receiving Food in a Dangerous Region
Pāli / Sanskrit:Catutthapāṭidesanīya
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The Catutthapāṭidesanīya Rule: Taking a Meal in a Dangerous Region
Background
Catutthapāṭidesanīya, the Fourth Declaration, is a regulation in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pāli Canon, within the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the discipline for bhikkhunis. This rule arose from specific circumstances in the early period of the Buddhadharma, when bhikkhunis had to go on alms round through dangerous or unsafe regions. The Buddha, with profound understanding of the nature of the human mind and of potential dangers, gave specific guidance to protect both the lawful joy of practice and the bodily safety of bhikkhunis.
A “dangerous” region here does not simply mean a place with bandits or hostile people, but also includes areas with complex social, psychological, and ethical factors that could negatively affect the discipline of a monastic. These might be places where unwholesome activities are concentrated, or communities whose customs are incompatible with noble practice.
Main Content
The Catutthapāṭidesanīya rule states that when bhikkhunis must seek alms in dangerous regions, they should not actively seek or accept food from unclear sources of donors or from people with impure intentions. More specifically, this regulation warns against receiving food that is offered with attached conditions or that may be used as an opportunity to create worldly entanglement.
Furthermore, the rule emphasizes the importance of carefulness (appamāda) when taking part in alms seeking in unsafe places. Bhikkhunis should gather in groups, should not go alone, and must always keep the mind pure and present, not allowing the senses to be drawn away. This reflects a fundamental principle in the Vinaya: practice is not only observance of external rules, but the preservation of the mind in a state of wakefulness and purity.
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