The Buddha describes the five drawbacks for a family who takes their meals late in the day—when guests visit, they are not served on time, the deities who accept spirit-offerings are not served on time, ascetics and brahmins who eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time are not served on time, and bondservants, workers, and staff do their duties neglectfully, and a meal eaten during the wrong period is not nutritious.

AN 5.228 Eating Late

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā ussūrabhatte kule. Katame pañca? Ye te atithī pāhunā, te na kālena paṭipūjenti; balipaṭiggāhikā devatā, na kālena paṭipūjenti; ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā, te na kālena paṭipūjenti; dāsakammakaraporisā vimukhā kammaṁ karonti; tāvatakaṁyeva asamayena bhuttaṁ anojavantaṁ hoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā ussūrabhatte kule.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, ānisaṁsā samayabhatte kule. Katame pañca? Ye te atithī pāhunā, te kālena paṭipūjenti; balipaṭiggāhikā devatā, kālena paṭipūjenti; ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā, te kālena paṭipūjenti; dāsakammakaraporisā avimukhā kammaṁ karonti; tāvatakaṁyeva samayena bhuttaṁ ojavantaṁ hoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā samayabhatte kule”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā ussūrabhatte kule.

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks for a family who takes their meals late in the day.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Ye te atithī pāhunā, te na kālena paṭipūjenti;

When guests visit, they are not served on time.

balipaṭiggāhikā devatā, na kālena paṭipūjenti;

The deities who accept spirit-offerings are not served on time.

ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā, te na kālena paṭipūjenti;

Ascetics and brahmins who eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time are not served on time.

dāsakammakaraporisā vimukhā kammaṁ karonti;

Bondservants, workers, and staff do their duties neglectfully.

tāvatakaṁyeva asamayena bhuttaṁ anojavantaṁ hoti.

A meal eaten during the wrong period is not nutritious.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā ussūrabhatte kule.

These are the five drawbacks for a family who takes their meals late in the day.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, ānisaṁsā samayabhatte kule.

There are these five benefits for a family who takes their meals at a proper time.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Ye te atithī pāhunā, te kālena paṭipūjenti;

When guests visit, they are served on time.

balipaṭiggāhikā devatā, kālena paṭipūjenti;

The deities who accept spirit-offerings are served on time.

ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā, te kālena paṭipūjenti;

Ascetics and brahmins who eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time are served on time.

dāsakammakaraporisā avimukhā kammaṁ karonti;

Bondservants, workers, and staff do their duties attentively.

tāvatakaṁyeva samayena bhuttaṁ ojavantaṁ hoti.

A meal eaten during the proper period is nutritious.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā samayabhatte kule”ti.

These are the five benefits for a family who takes their meals at a proper time.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026