Bi Pc 121121. Eating stored food
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sannidhikāraka
A nun who eats food stored overnight must confess the offense.
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The Discourse on Eating Stored Food
(Sannidhikāraka - Bhikkhunī Vinaya)
Background
The regulation concerning the eating standards of bhikkhunīs is recorded in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga (the Vinaya analysis for bhikkhunīs) of the Pāli Canon. This reflects the practical ethos of the Saṅgha (the community of the Theravāda Buddhist Monastery) in cultivating purity and keeping away from desire and laziness.
During the time when the Blessed One was still present in the world, he established detailed rules regarding eating so that his disciples could maintain the mind in the Dhamma. These regulations were not absolute restrictions on the quantity of food, but rather guidelines helping practitioners control greed and sustain the spirit of practice. Eating stored food kept overnight (sannidhikāraka) is regarded as a Pācittiya offence — a violation requiring confession (pabbajjanīya, that is, acknowledgment).
Main Content
According to Bhikkhunī Pācittiya rule number 121, if a bhikkhunī eats food that has been kept from the previous evening (sannidhikāraka bhojana) without the approval of the Saṅgha or any lawful exceptional circumstance, she commits a Pācittiya offence and must confess before the assembly.
"Stored food kept overnight" includes all types of food that have been cooked or prepared and set aside from the day before. The fundamental principle is that a bhikkhunī should eat food freshly prepared on the same day (divācariya bhojana), as an expression of non-hoarding and of adherence to the daily schedule of meditation practice.
The Vinaya, however, also provides for certain exceptional circumstances. If there is a gathering of the Saṅgha granting permission, or if the bhikkhunī is ill and in need of nourishment, or if it is an observance day (uposatha), some flexibility in application may be allowed. This demonstrates that the Buddha-Dhamma is not rigid, but takes into account the actual circumstances of each individual.
Practical Significance
The profound significance of this regulation lies in the training of the mind.
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