Xct Mu Bu Pm Np 21An Extra Almsbowl
Pāli / Sanskrit:Patta
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Discourse on An Extra Almsbowl (Patta)
Background
The discourse on An Extra Almsbowl belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, located in the Pacittiya (Patimokkha) section, rules of a lighter nature that nevertheless require confession if violated. The discourses on Patta (bowl and robe) were recorded from occasions when the Buddha and senior lay elders faced practical issues in the daily life of the early Sangha.
The almsbowl (patta) is an essential requisite for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. It is not only a tool for receiving food during the almsround, but also a symbol of humble and self-sufficient life in the monastery. The question of the number of bowls that a monastic is permitted to own reflects deeply the Buddha’s philosophy regarding property, greed, and the discipline of desire.
Main Content
This discourse records a situation in which a bhikkhu possessed an additional bowl beyond the necessary number permitted. The initial motives may have been to keep it in reserve (in case the old bowl broke), or to give it to someone else, but the Buddha saw that this could open a loophole leading to the accumulation of unnecessary property.
According to the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka, a bhikkhu should possess only one spare bowl (one additional bowl). If he possesses more than this without a legitimate reason, it is a Pacittiya violation, requiring him to confess before the Sangha. This is not a grave offense like a Pārājika (a major offense leading to expulsion), but it is a gentle yet clear warning concerning latent greed.
The discourse emphasizes that allowing a bhikkhu to keep too many bowls can stimulate greed, attachment, and cause him to decline in following the path of the bhikkhu. This rule is not meant to restrict the comfort of bhikkhus, but to protect the spirit of contemplation on non-self (anattā) and non-greed or renunciation (nekkhamma).
Practical Meaning
In the context of modern practice, the discourse on An Extra Almsbowl teaches us a profound lesson about discipline.
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