Bu Pc 3131. Eating excessively at a public guesthouse
Pāli / Sanskrit:Āvasathapiṇḍa
A monk who eats more than one meal at a public alms center must confess the offense.
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Commentary on the Pācittiya Rule 31: Eating Excessively at a Public Guesthouse
Background
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of training rules that the Blessed One Gotama established to maintain discipline within the monastic Sangha. These rules are divided into several categories, ranging from the most serious offenses to minor infractions. The Pācittiya rules belong to the category of offenses requiring confession, and are of lesser severity than the Pārājika and Saṅghādisesa rules.
The rule of Āvasathapiṇḍa — eating excessively at a public guesthouse — was established when the Blessed One observed that certain monks were taking advantage of the generosity of lay people. At public locations such as guesthouses (āvasatha), where people could stop to offer food to monks, some monks had abused this privilege by eating multiple meals in succession, or by returning for additional meals after having already been served.
Main Content
This rule stipulates that if a monk eats more than one meal at a public guesthouse on the same day, he commits an offense of Pācittiya and must confess it. The essential point is "eating excessively" (atibhatta), meaning eating beyond what is reasonably required for a monk's nourishment on a given day.
This rule arises from the principles of restraint and of not abusing the trust of the lay community. Public guesthouses are places of compassion, where people have the opportunity to make merit by offering food to monks. If monks abuse this opportunity by eating to excess, this not only disregards the virtue of moderation in eating (bhojane mattaññutā) but also erodes the confidence of the lay faithful.
Pācittiya means "should be confessed" (patidesanīya). This offense does not constitute an irremediable transgression (āpatti), but the monk is required to honestly acknowledge his lapse before another monk. This act of confession expresses regard for the teachings and a sincere commitment to diligent practice.
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