Bi Sk 4040. Not making rounded mouthfuls

Parimaṇḍala: Not Making Rounded Mouthfuls

Background

The Parimaṇḍala is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Sikkhamānakavaṇṇanā section, which concerns the training rules for bhikkhunīs. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of ethical and disciplinary regulations that the Buddha established for the monastic community (Saṅgha), intended to sustain the spirit of practice and to help preserve the purity of the Dharma.

This text reflects the context of daily monastic discipline, in which even the smallest details of eating behavior are carefully considered. These are not arbitrary rules, but purposeful instructions with deep intent, aimed at renewing mindfulness and cultivating care in every action.

Main Content

The Parimaṇḍala prohibits bhikkhunīs from forming rounded shapes (parimaṇḍala) with rice in the mouth while chewing. This action may appear trivial, yet it is regarded as a manifestation of inattentiveness and a lack of respect toward the food that has been offered.

Within the context of the Dharma, chewing rice into rounded mouthfuls suggests a kind of unmindfulness, even a form of careless indulgence. This rule encourages an attitude of mindfulness in eating, in which each morsel of food is attended to with clarity and chewed with full awareness.

This is directly connected to the concept of bhojana-sammati in the Theravāda tradition, wherein food is not regarded as something to be enjoyed or as a source of happiness to be sought, but simply as basic nourishment to sustain the body in health so that one may practice the Dharma.

Practical Significance

The text teaches that mindfulness must be present at all times, including in moments that may seem ordinary, such as the chewing of food. Chewing rice into smooth, rounded portions suggests inattention — a certain state of mental carelessness. Instead, monastics are encouraged to chew deliberately, in such a way that each action is attended by mindfulness.