Xct Mu Bu Vb Sk 41Receiving Even Level

Scripture Commentary on Samatittika (Receiving Things Equally)

Context

The Samatittika text appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the regulations concerning bhikkhunīs. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of rules of conduct issued by the Blessed Buddha to maintain discipline in the Sangha, helping practitioners practice harmoniously and in an orderly way.

The historical context of this text concerns practical situations in the communal life of bhikkhunīs in monasteries. When people, Buddhist devotees, or family members offered communal requisites to the Sangha, the issue of fair distribution became an important ethical standard. This text was therefore established to resolve questions about how communal property should be received and used according to the principle of equality (samatā).

Main Content

The term “Samatittika” means “receiving at an equal level” or “receiving items equally.” This text deals with an ethical rule (Dhamma): when requisites, whether robes, food, or other things, are offered to a group of bhikkhunīs, their distribution must follow the principle of fairness and non-discrimination.

In the Theravāda tradition, equality (samatā) is one of the core virtues of the Sangha. It does not mean only equal division in quantity, but also expresses equal respect for the status of all bhikkhus before the Dharma. Though individuals may differ in qualifications or experience in practice, at the basic level they are all ones gone forth with the same aspiration: to attain nirvana.

This text also emphasizes that observing this principle is not a rigid form of discipline, but an expression of brahmacariya, the pure and noble life. When bhikkhunīs act according to equality, they build a community of practice based on mutual respect, not on rivalry or resentment.