Xct Mu Bu Pm Sk 59Not prefer one grain
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not prefer one grain
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Sutta on Not Preferring One Kind of Food
Background
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Pitaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, which records the rules of practice and governance of the monastic community. The context of this sutta concerns the matter of food and provisions in the communal life of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. These are not overly rigid regulations, but rather guidelines that help the monastic community avoid unnecessary cravings, and to maintain a spirit of simplicity and equality.
During the time of the Buddha, the monastic community practiced the alms-round (piṇḍapāta)—the bhikkhus would go from house to house to receive food, accepting whatever the lay supporters offered. However, when certain bhikkhus began to select and prefer one type of food over others, this gradually gave rise to afflictions and conflicts within the community. Therefore, the Buddha set forth clear guidance regarding one's attitude toward food.
Main Content
This sutta teaches that a bhikkhu should not prefer or be exclusively attached to any particular type of food. Whether it be rice, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, or any other foodstuff, the practitioner must maintain an attitude of equanimity. One should not say "I only eat this" or "I do not eat that," for such statements reflect a mind of craving, a mind of discrimination, and an attachment to personal preferences.
The fundamental principle is this: food is to be received solely for the purpose of sustaining health and supporting the practice of the Buddha-Dharma—not for the gratification of desire or the indulgence of the sense faculties. When a bhikkhu exercises such selectivity, he causes difficulty for the householders who have prepared the food, and this also reflects a mind that is not yet pure, not yet in accordance with the standard of one who has gone forth.
The sutta emphasizes that equanimity with regard to food is an expression of profound equanimity of mind.
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