San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Pd 1Receiving a Nun’s Food
Pāli / Sanskrit:Paṭhamapāṭidesanīya
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Paṭhamapāṭidesanīya Sutta: Receiving Food from a Bhikkhunī
Background
The Paṭhamapāṭidesanīya Sutta, “the first matter to be declared,” is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically belonging to the Pāṭidesanīya rules, those that require acknowledgment. This was an early stage of the Buddhist Sangha, when the Buddha and his disciples still had to determine clearly the standards of conduct in the life of practice.
The historical background shows that the Buddha formed these rules of practice in order to maintain discipline in the Sangha. The receiving of food, especially from bhikkhunīs, required adherence to specific principles in order to avoid misunderstandings or actions inappropriate to the way of life of a monastic. This rule reflects the Buddha’s deep concern for moral purity and collective discipline.
Main Content
The Paṭhamapāṭidesanīya Sutta states that a bhikkhu should not receive food directly from the hand of a bhikkhunī without the verification of the Sangha or without following permitted methods. If that bhikkhu has received food from a bhikkhunī in an unpermitted way, he must acknowledge his offense before the Sangha.
This rule is not an absolute prohibition, but a guideline concerning attitude and conduct. It aims to protect both bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs from suspicion, disputes, or situations that may be misunderstood. Food may be received through other channels: through villagers, through already established rules, or in special permitted circumstances.
The important point is that the Buddha taught that personally acknowledging an offense (paṭidesanīya) is a way to purify the mind and restore discipline. This is a form of ethical maturity, in which the monastic actively recognizes a mistake and asks for guidance in correcting it.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.