Yāgu in the Pali Canon: Significance and Vinaya Regulations

Abstract

This article aims to examine Yāgu in the Tipiṭaka in terms of its meaning, essential characteristics, and historical background as presented in Buddhist
scriptures, as well as the monastic regulations concerning monks and nuns. The problem underlying this study is that Yāgu is often understood merely as a traditional rice-based food or beverage prepared for offering to monks, without sufficient analysis of its status within the Vinaya and its broader significance in Buddhism. The objectives of this academic study are: (1) to explain the meaning, characteristics, origins, and nutritional value of Yāgu; (2) to analyze the merits of offering Yāgu to the Saṅgha as recorded in the Tipiṭaka; (3) to examine the relationship between Yāgu and Vinaya regulations; and (4) to compare Yāgu in the Buddhist era with contemporary rice milk products in Thai society. The study employs documentary research, drawing upon primary sources from the Tipiṭaka and secondary sources including commentaries and relevant contemporary resources.
The findings reveal that Yāgu holds the status of a food item permitted by the Buddha to be consumed before alms-round, classified under the category of beverages (pāna), and serving as the basis for several Vinaya regulations, such as the distribution of Yāgu by lot, the distinction between Yāgu considered a meal (bhatta) and that which is not, and specific disciplinary rulings within the Saṅgha. The offering of Yāgu is also recognized in the Tipiṭaka as a meritorious act generating both worldly
and supramundane results. A comparative analysis with rice milk products in
contemporary Thai society indicates that although production processes and
economic contexts differ from those of the Buddhist period, the underlying nutritional principles—lightness, ease of digestion, and support for disciplined living—remain comparable. However, the compatibility of modern products with Vinaya regulations must be assessed based on their actual characteristics rather than their names. This study thus clarifies Yāgu as a food directly connected with Vinaya regulations, monastic
life, and the role of lay supporters, and demonstrates both continuity and
transformation in the understanding of Yāgu from the Buddha era to contemporary Thai society.