San Sarv Bi Pm Tf 44 Ss 5Encouraging Receiving Food From One With Lust
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kiṁ te avassuto vā anavassuto vā
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Explanation of the Discourse on Encouraging Receiving Food from One with Lust
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, recorded in the texts of ethical rules for the community of monks and nuns. The title "Kiṁ te avassuto vā anavassuto vā" (Whether he has lust or does not have lust) reflects a practical situation in the daily life of practice of monks and nuns.
The context raises a question about purity in receiving food from supporters. In Theravāda Buddhism, monks and nuns live by receiving food from the compassion of laypeople. However, the question arises: if the donor has an impure motive, such as lust or craving, does receiving food from them negatively affect the practice of the monks or nuns?
This discourse is placed in the context of debate about the law of practice, intended to guide monks and nuns in living purely and maintaining mindfulness in daily activities, especially in receiving merit offerings from the people.
Main Content
The discourse encourages a profound view of the nature of receiving food. The question "Whether he, the donor, has lust or does not have lust, what difference does it make?" indicates that purity in receiving food does not depend on the mental state of the provider, but on the guarding of the mind of the recipient.
The key point here is the theory of kamma in Theravāda Buddhism. Each action has its own result based on the motive (cetanā) of the one who performs it. The donor is responsible for their own mental state, while monks and nuns are responsible for how they receive and use that food.
Therefore, the discourse teaches that a monk or nun should receive food with compassion, without judgment, and use it with complete mindfulness. Food is regarded as a factor supporting practice (indriya), not as an object of desire or a basis for an impure mind.
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