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Pāli / Sanskrit:Kabaḷāvacchedaka
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The Sutta on Dividing Rice (Kabaḷāvacchedaka)
Background
The Sutta on Dividing Rice is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the strictest division of the Pāli Canon, reflecting the disciplinary rules for the daily life of monks and nuns. The name “Kabaḷāvacchedaka” contains “kabaḷa” (a mouthful of rice, food) and “vacchedaka” (dividing, cutting), indicating regulations about how rice and porridge portions are divided in the Sangha community. During the Buddha’s lifetime, these regulations were established to maintain order, fairness, and the spirit of the Sangha living together.
This sutta refers to specific situations when monks and nuns divide and receive food, especially when food is scarce or when many monks and nuns need to be served. This is not merely a physiological matter, but an opportunity to cultivate compassion, fairness, and discipline in daily action.
Main Content
The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated, but in the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, rules on dividing rice often concern basic principles: first, when rice and porridge are distributed to monks and nuns, fairness must be ensured, and a few individuals must not be given preference; second, those who perform the work of distributing rice must do so with sincere and careful intention; third, if the rice is insufficient, there must be a reasonable way of dividing it so that everyone has a share, however small.
These regulations arose from specific situations within the Sangha community. When the Buddha discovered conflicts or unfairness in the way food portions were divided, he laid down regulations for monks and nuns to observe. This shows that the Dharma and Vinaya are not removed from the subtle realities of life, but are concrete and practical guidance for daily practice.
Practical Meaning
The Sutta on Dividing Rice carries a profound value of practice beyond the field of robes and food. It is a lesson in loving-kindness (mettā) and fairness in action. Each time food is divided, monks and nuns are not merely dividing rice, but are practicing attentiveness to the needs of others, training the aspiration not to be greedy, and maintaining inner discipline.
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