Famine in the Vinayas

Abstract

The vinayas allow special cases of “cooking and preserving food”, “utilizing leftover food”, and “collecting fruits” in case of famine. The famine exception does not apply when the famine is over. Even bhikkhu can work in times of famine in order to support their lives, according to the Vinayas. In the event of famine, the rules loosen. It was generally accepted in ancient India that there was a difference between normal and emergency times. It is common in the Vinayas and Dharma literature that, in the event of an emergency, bhikkhus or brahmins may take on the activities of someone with a different social status, while keeping their status as bhikkhu or brahmin, respectively. It can be said that the Buddhist sangha had the same character as the broader Indian society in that avoiding poverty is more important in an emergency than protecting the bhikkhu’s normally expected means of life.