Etymology

Monks carrying bowls accept food from donors.

From คว่ำ ‎(kwâm, “to face down; to turn upside down; etc.”) +‎ บาตร ‎(bàat, “bowl (of a Buddhist monk)”); literally "to face down a bowl".

The term originated from the practice of Buddhist monks in denouncing laypersons. Laypersons donate food to monks by dropping the food into their bowls. When monks face their bowls down before a layperson, it means the monks refuse to accept food from such layperson and implies that the layperson is rejected or cast out by the monastic community. The facing down of a bowl has been used as a monastic expression of denouncement since the time of Gautama Buddha. For example, the Pāli Canon states that when Prince Vaḍḍha of Licchavī falsely accused the monk Dabba Mallaputra of violating his wife, the Buddha declared to all the monks: "you all shall face your bowls down against Prince Vaḍḍha of Licchavī".

Pronunciation