Bi Sk 5050. Chomping

The Rule on Chomping (Capucapukāraka)

Background

This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, recorded in the Pāli Canon. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of texts setting forth the rules of training for monks and nuns, aimed at preserving the Dharma of the Buddha and protecting the Sangha (the community of monastics) amid the defilements and deviations of human nature.

The rule on "Chomping" (Capucapukāraka) is found within the section governing improper conduct or offences related to eating, in particular concerning the manner in which monks and nuns consume food. The word capu refers to chewing or sucking, and kāraka denotes the actions associated with it. This is one of the finer details of the Vinaya Piṭaka, reflecting the Buddha's attention to each mental action within the activities of daily life.

These rules are not arbitrary prohibitions, but rather guidelines that assist monks and nuns in training the mind, restraining desire, and cultivating mindfulness (sati) in every moment of life. They reflect the steadfast and disciplined way of life of the original Buddhist Sangha.

Main Content

The Rule on Chomping stipulates that monks and nuns should not chew or suck food in an undisciplined or desirous manner. In particular, actions such as chewing continuously without proper nutritional purpose, or using food as a means of gratifying the senses, are regarded as violations of mental purity.

The Vinaya Piṭaka makes clear that the eating and drinking of monastics must be directed toward maintaining bodily health so that the practice of liberation may continue, and not toward satisfying gustatory desires. This is an application of the principle of the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga) to the domain of nutrition. Right Livelihood (sammā-ājīva) pertains not only to the manner of earning one's living, but also encompasses the manner in which food is consumed.