The Buddha teaches on turning the bowl upside down, presenting a eightfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 8.87 Turning the Bowl Upside Down

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ nikkujjeyya. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Bhikkhūnaṁ alābhāya parisakkati, bhikkhūnaṁ anatthāya parisakkati, bhikkhūnaṁ avāsāya parisakkati, bhikkhū akkosati paribhāsati, bhikkhū bhikkhūhi bhedeti, buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ nikkujjeyya.

Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ ukkujjeyya. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Na bhikkhūnaṁ alābhāya parisakkati, na bhikkhūnaṁ anatthāya parisakkati, na bhikkhūnaṁ avāsāya parisakkati, na bhikkhū akkosati paribhāsati, na bhikkhū bhikkhūhi bhedeti, buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ ukkujjeyyā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ nikkujjeyya.

“Mendicants, the Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upside down for a lay follower on eight grounds.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

What eight?

Bhikkhūnaṁ alābhāya parisakkati, bhikkhūnaṁ anatthāya parisakkati, bhikkhūnaṁ avāsāya parisakkati, bhikkhū akkosati paribhāsati, bhikkhū bhikkhūhi bhedeti, buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.

They try to prevent the mendicants from getting material things. They try to harm mendicants. They try to drive mendicants from a monastery. They insult and abuse mendicants. They divide mendicants against each other. They criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ nikkujjeyya.

The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upside down for a lay follower on these eight grounds.

Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ ukkujjeyya.

The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upright for a lay follower on eight grounds.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

What eight?

Na bhikkhūnaṁ alābhāya parisakkati, na bhikkhūnaṁ anatthāya parisakkati, na bhikkhūnaṁ avāsāya parisakkati, na bhikkhū akkosati paribhāsati, na bhikkhū bhikkhūhi bhedeti, buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.

They don’t try to prevent the mendicants from getting material things. They don’t try to harm mendicants. They don’t try to drive mendicants from a monastery. They don’t insult and abuse mendicants. They don’t divide mendicants against each other. They don’t criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgatassa upāsakassa ākaṅkhamāno saṅgho pattaṁ ukkujjeyyā”ti.

The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upright for a lay follower on these eight grounds.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Cruelty

Cruelty

The wish to cause pain or the enjoyment of another’s suffering. Rooted in aversion and moral blindness, cruelty hardens the heart and erases compassion.

Also known as: abuse, hurting, fierceness, inhumanity, injuring, viciousness
Pāli: vihiṁsā
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Last updated on July 27, 2026