Mpt Pc 43Sabhojanakulasthānaṁ

Exposition of the Sabhojanakulasthānaṁ Discourse

Background

The Sabhojanakulasthānaṁ discourse (On families using a shared hearth) is a regulation in the Vinaya of the Theravāda tradition, specifically within the Pātimokkha section of the Pāli Vinaya. It is not a discourse in the sense of a Dharma teaching (Sutta), but a rule of practice within the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns).

The context of this regulation arose during the lifetime of the Buddha. As the Sangha developed, issues concerning communal living, especially the sharing of food and daily utensils, became more complex. The Vinaya was constructed to maintain discipline, harmony, and purity in the community of practitioners. This regulation is directly related to the management of communal property, especially in cases where families (kulā) or groups of monastics live around a shared hearth (bhojana).

Sabhojanakulasthānaṁ reflects the practical reality of early monastic life, where monastics did not possess things personally but lived according to principles of collective sharing. This relates to the observance of the principle of non-possession (apariggaha), one of the foundations of Theravāda Buddhist practice.

Main Content

The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in existing materials, but according to the context of the Vinaya, this regulation revolves around principles for managing communal property when many individuals live in one place. Specifically, it regulates how to handle situations in which monks or nuns live in the same area and use a common hearth.

The main principles include: property used by the community must be managed openly and fairly; no one may appropriate more than their share; shared items must be reasonably protected; and all members must respect this sharing. These rules are not meant to create bondage, but to remove troubles and disputes and to prevent the mind from being distracted by material matters.