Bi Sk 4646. Stuffing the cheeks

Avagaṇḍakāraka — The Act of Puffing Out the Cheeks

Background

The Avagaṇḍakāraka belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the section governing the rules of conduct for bhikkhus. The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled to record the Buddha's teachings on monastic discipline, with the purpose of protecting harmony within the Sangha and cultivating the virtue of practitioners.

This text arises from a particular situation within the monastic community. Bhikkhus in the Sangha occasionally engaged in minor behaviors that appeared harmless but in fact reflected a lack of moral mindfulness. The act of "puffing out the cheeks" (avagaṇḍakāraka) — that is, inflating the cheeks or producing ridiculous sounds with the mouth — is an example of undignified and undisciplined conduct. The Buddha offered guidance to instruct the Sangha on the importance of maintaining courteous and respectful deportment.

This context reveals that the Vinaya Piṭaka is concerned not only with grave offenses, but also with the small details of daily life — details that reflect the depth of each person's mental cultivation.

Main Content

In this text, the Buddha or the Sangha discovers that a bhikkhu has the habit of puffing out his cheeks or producing ridiculous sounds with his mouth. This behavior is regarded as a transgression of the rules of conduct (śīla) befitting a bhikkhu, since it is incompatible with the image of a monastic practitioner — one who should be composed and dignified, and should neither produce unnecessary noises nor display a lack of concentration.

The Buddha issues a prohibition (adhikamma) or admonishes that bhikkhus should not engage in this behavior. It is listed among the minor behavioral categories (khuddānussati) — small faults that must nonetheless be corrected in order to maintain the purity of mind and the integrity of the Sangha's image.

This text does not merely set forth a prohibition; it also implies that every action, however small, reflects the state of one's practice.