Xct Mu Bi Pc 21Accepting Two or Three Bowls Full
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dvittipattapūrapaṭiggahaṇa
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The Discourse on Accepting Two or Three Bowls Full: Humility in Receiving Offerings
Background
This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, which preserves the rules and methods of practice of the early Buddhist Sangha. Specifically, it belongs to the Pātimokkha section, the fundamental rules, or to the provisions related to receiving objects and property within the monastic community.
In the time of the Buddha, bhikkhus lived dependent on the offerings of lay supporters (upāsaka). Each day they went on almsround to receive food from householders. For bhikkhunīs, female renunciants, the same was true, though there were separate rules intended to protect external propriety and maintain monastic discipline. This discourse addresses a specific case: a bhikkhunī accepting two or three bowls full of rice from a donor.
Main Content
The specific content of this discourse has not been fully translated in the available material, but based on the Vinaya context, this rule concerns the principle of humility in receiving material things.
According to the early Buddhist tradition, a practitioner must not display greed or an overly eager attitude when receiving offerings. Accepting many full bowls of rice may suggest that the bhikkhunī is seeking personal benefit rather than living in a state of contentment. This violates the spirit of purity (sīla) in outward conduct.
The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that renunciants should live simply, without ambition. If a donor wishes to give more, the practitioner should know how to decline gracefully, or accept only an amount sufficient for use. This is not a rigid rule in every case, but a way of cultivating a state of mind free from greed (anabhijjhatā).
Practical Meaning
This rule reflects a basic principle in the Buddha-Dharma: avoiding actions that create misunderstanding or damage the faith of lay followers.
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