San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Pc 38Storing Food
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sannidhikāraka
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Explanation of the Sannidhikāraka Sutta (The Sutta on Storing Provisions)
Context
The Sannidhikāraka Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha—the disciplinary rules reserved for women monastics. This section is called Pācittiya, the rules lighter than Pārājika but still requiring public confession. The Sannidhikāraka Sutta is number 38 in this list, concerning the act of storing food and possessions.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Buddha established these regulations to guide the community of monks and nuns in living an independent, humble life, far removed from the dangers that may arise from dependence on excessive material things. Storing provisions is not only related to greed, but is also a matter of discipline and ethical cleanliness.
Main Content
Sannidhikāraka, meaning “the act of keeping things stored close by,” stipulates that women monastics are not permitted to keep food or daily requisites beside themselves for too long without openly informing the community of monks and nuns. In particular, storing food with the intention of eating it later or saving it for the future is prohibited.
This rule arose from specific situations in which women monastics accumulated food, sometimes saving it out of fear of shortage, sometimes because of lack of trust in the support available during the four months of the rains or other difficult periods. The Buddha taught that this act of storing violates the spirit of the Patimokkha because it arises from anxiety, greed, and a deficiency of faith in the Triple Gem.
Women monastics must promptly provide necessary items to the community, or relinquish them when they are no longer needed. If they keep things beyond what is necessary without a legitimate reason, this is a violation requiring confession before the community of monks and nuns.
Practical Meaning
The rule concerning Sannidhikāraka is not merely an administrative rule, but expresses a deep realization about mindfulness and the slow, careful steps on the path of practice.
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