San Sarv Bu Pm Finot Sk 79Licking the Bowl
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pattanillehaka
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Pattanillehaka Sutta: Licking the Bowl
Background
The Pattanillehaka Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, where the rules and monastic regulations in the Buddha’s teaching are recorded. This sutta is not a discourse on profound doctrine, but a practical admonition concerning the discipline of practice, especially related to conduct toward food and the daily requisites of a practitioner.
The background for the arising of this sutta is connected with the early community of monks and nuns when the Buddha was still living. The Buddha’s disciples followed the tradition of almsround, living simply and without private ownership. However, in the course of practice, small issues arose from daily attitudes and actions among monks and nuns. The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to help maintain purity and discipline in the Sangha, while also educating disciples in basic moral qualities.
Main Content
Pattanillehaka (patta = bowl, nillehaka = licking) is the sutta related to the act of licking the bowl after eating. According to the rules in the Vinaya Piṭaka, licking the bowl to "clean out" the remaining food is considered unsuitable conduct for a monastic. This is not due to hygiene or health, but is related to unseemliness in conduct and an attitude of greed toward food.
In the Theravāda tradition, the purpose of almsround is not to satisfy appetite, but only to maintain life and practice. The act of licking the bowl expresses an attitude of greed and does not accord with the spirit of alms-dependent life. It also indicates attachment to small pleasures, contrary to the ideal of the practitioner, which is to lessen desires and devote oneself to the path of liberation.
The Vinaya Piṭaka therefore teaches that such actions should be avoided in order to maintain the independence and dignity of the Sangha. This is one example among hundreds of small rules intended to build a pure community of practice.
Practical Meaning
The Pattanillehaka Sutta teaches us about awareness in the smallest actions of life.
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