San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Np 22An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ūnapañcabandhana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on a Bowl With Fewer Than Five Mends
Background
This text is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, which governs ritual, discipline, and the rules of practice for the community. Specifically, it belongs to the Pātimokkha, the most basic set of rules that bhikkhus must observe. The title Ūnapañcabandhana, meaning “an almsbowl with fewer than five mends,” reflects a matter that seems small, but is an important symbol of preserving the property of the Sangha and managing the requisites of practice.
In the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, bhikkhus were permitted to possess a small number of necessary requisites: three kāṣāya robes, one almsbowl for almsround, and supplementary items. The purpose of this rule is for monastics to train themselves not to place importance on material property, thereby cultivating a mind free from attachment and craving (vairāgya). The way to preserve the almsbowl for a long time is to repair it regularly when damaged, thereby extending its lifespan and practicing the mind of appreciation.
Main Content
The text stipulates that a bhikkhu’s almsbowl is considered suitable for the Dharma when it has been mended no more than five times, or more specifically, when it does not exceed four mends. If the almsbowl is too damaged and requires many repairs, five mends or more, then it is no longer suitable for use in practice. At that point, the bhikkhu should abandon the old bowl and is permitted to receive a new one.
This rule is not only about hygiene or practicality, but also carries deep meaning concerning the stance of practice. The Buddha taught that every requisite of a bhikkhu should be valued and used wholeheartedly, but one should also not be bound to it excessively. When the almsbowl can no longer be used, even though it is a requisite of practice, the practitioner should know how to let it go smoothly, without regret or fear.
🌏 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.