Academic Sutta Name Notes PSA Plae Vagga Nikaya PTS Keywords
DhA.

VII:3 The monk who stored rice (Bellatthi Sisa)

Venerable Bellatthi Sisa, after going on an almsround in the village, stopped on the way and took his food there. After the meal, he continued his round of alms for more food. When he had collected enough food he returned to the monastery, dried up the rice and stored it. Thus, there was no need for him to go on an almsround every day. Every few days, whenever he arose from jhana concentration he would eat the dried rice he had stored up, after soaking it in water. Other bhikkhus thought ill of the monk on this account, and reported to the Buddha about his hoarding of rice. The Buddha saw how the bhikkhu's action, if imitated by others, could lead to abuse and discouraged bhikkhus from hoarding food since then. He advised them that they should try to maintain the simplicity and purity of a monk's life by not having any kind of possession.

As for Bellatthi Sisa, since he stored up rice before the ruling on hoarding was introduced and because he did it not out of greed for food, but only to save time for meditation practice, the Buddha declared that the monk was quite innocent and that he was not to be blamed.

The Buddha also explained that Arahants do not hoard anything and when taking food they reflect well over it.'*

55/170 Dhammapada & Commentary Khuddhaka J.i.106ff. despair


Previous Page | Contents | Next Page
Last modified on: Sunday, 13 August 2000.