Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 31Eating at a Public Guest-house

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

31. ONE MEAL AT A GUEST-HOUSE

A. ORIGIN

At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, in the country of Kosala there was a village without a lodging place, so a householder built a lodging place for bhikkhus and regularly provided food and drink. If one stayed at this lodging place, one would receive the offering of one meal.

At that time a group of six bhikkhus wished to travel to the village without a lodging place in the country of Kosala. Upon arriving at that lodging place, they stayed for one night. The group of six bhikkhus received delicious, nourishing food and drink. Passing a second night there, they again received delicious, nourishing food and drink, and so the group of six bhikkhus formed this thought: "The reason we have been wandering is for the sake of food. Now we have obtained it." Thereupon they stayed at this lodging place and ate there continuously.

At that time the householders all criticized them together, saying: "These Śākya monastics know no restraint, know no contentment, and know no shame. Outwardly they declare, 'We know the true Dharma.' What true Dharma is there in this? They come continuously to receive food at this lodging place, as if we were obliged to provide food to these Śākya monastics without end. Our original intention was only to provide for those who lodge here for a single night."

At that time the bhikkhus heard this; among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic rules, delighted in training in the precepts, and knew shame and remorse. They rebuked the group of six bhikkhus, saying: "Group of six bhikkhus, why do you keep staying at this lodging place to receive food continuously?"

The bhikkhus went to the place of the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They then reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One thereupon used this matter to convene an assembly of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, and he rebuked the group of six bhikkhus, saying:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not proper conduct, not the way of monastics, not pure practice, not befitting behavior; it is something that should not be done. Why do you keep staying at this lodging place to receive food continuously?"

After rebuking the group of six bhikkhus with countless means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field in which many seeds of the āsavas are sown, and they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, for ten reasons, up to the reason that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu, at a lodging place that offers one meal, should receive only one meal; if he receives more than one meal, it is a pācittiya.

The Blessed One laid down the rule for the bhikkhus in this way. At that time the Venerable Śāriputra, while traveling through the country of Kosala, also arrived at that village without a lodging place and stayed there for one night. In the morning he received delicious food.

On that day the Venerable One fell ill, but he thought: "The Blessed One has laid down a rule that a bhikkhu lodging for one night should receive only one meal; if he receives more, it is a pācittiya." Therefore, though ill, the Venerable One departed to another place. As a result, his illness became more critical. At that time, the bhikkhus went and reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward, a bhikkhu who is ill is permitted to receive more than one meal."

From this day forward the rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu, at a lodging place that offers one meal — a bhikkhu who is not ill should receive only one meal; if he receives more than one meal, it is a pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Lodging place: a place where one is permitted to stay for one night.

Meal: even a meal taken at the proper time.

Ill: if one departs from that village, the illness worsens.

If a bhikkhu who is not ill, at a place of temporary lodging for one night, receives more than one meal, for each mouthful eaten he incurs one pācittiya. Apart from food, if he receives various things such as undergarments, lamp oil, or foot-anointing oil, all such cases incur a duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: Lodging for one night and receiving one meal; being ill, one may receive more than one meal. If a householder invites one, saying: "Please remain, Venerable One. I shall offer food. It is for the sake of the Śākya monastics that we have established this lodging place and provided food and drink. If there are no Śākya monastics, we would offer it to others as well."

Or if a donor in turn invites one to receive a meal; or if uncles, aunts, elder sisters, or grandmothers in turn invite one to receive a meal — there is no offense. Or if today one receives from this person, and tomorrow from another person. Or if there is flooding, or the road is dangerous; or if there are bandits, tigers, wolves, or lions; or if one is seized by force, or bound and imprisoned; or if there is danger to one's life or to one's practice of the holy life — receiving more than one meal incurs no offense.

Those who do not incur an offense: one who commits an offense for the first time before the rule has been laid down, one who is mentally deranged, one whose mind is disturbed, or one who is afflicted and overwhelmed by pain.

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Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE.

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002