Xct Mu Bu Vb Sk 61Stuffing Cheeks
Pāli / Sanskrit:Avagaṇḍakāraka
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Commentary on the Avagaṇḍakāraka Sutta (The Discourse on Stuffing the Cheeks)
Background
This discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the collection that sets forth discipline (sīla) for monks and nuns in the Sangha. It is one of the training rules related to eating and bodily restraint among renunciants, reflecting the Buddha’s deep attention to every detail of the religious life.
In the Theravāda tradition, details like this are not accidental. They serve a dual function: helping monks and nuns cultivate mindfulness in each moment of daily life, and at the same time protecting the image of the Sangha before the public. A monk who is coarse in eating, stuffing his cheeks full of food and appearing ravenous like an animal, creates a bad impression, invites criticism, and causes the community to lose faith. This is precisely why the Buddha established this training rule.
Main Content
The Avagaṇḍakāraka Sutta states that monks and nuns should not stuff their cheeks full of food when eating (Avagaṇḍakāraka = avagaṇḍa: cheek/swollen cheek + kāraka: making/causing to be stuffed). This act is considered undignified and unsuitable for the virtue of one gone forth.
The specific content of this discourse belongs to the Vinaya sections concerning the Sekhiya Sikkhāpadā, the minor training rules, which are more detailed rules of conduct than the major prohibitions. They were promulgated by the Buddha not to punish, but to:
First, train awareness (sampajañña) of each daily movement. The way one eats, the way one drinks, the expression of one’s face while eating, all are opportunities to cultivate mindfulness. A mindful monk eats in a balanced way, chews each mouthful, and does not make himself appear like a greedy or ravenous person.
Second, protect the view of the wider society. The laity are the economic foundation of the Sangha. If they see monks eating mindlessly, stuffing their cheeks like undisciplined people, reverence will be lost and offerings will diminish. The Buddhist Dharma will thereby weaken.
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