Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 35Eating More After Refusing an Invitation

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

35. THE RULE ON FURTHER EATING (PAVĀRAṆĀ)

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the Blessed One taught the bhikkhus the practice of eating one meal a day, praising the practice of eating one meal a day.

When the bhikkhus heard the Blessed One teach the practice of eating one meal a day and heard him praise it, they gathered together in one sitting all their khadanīya food, or the five kinds of staple food, or fruit juice, or medicine, eating and drinking it all at once, and did not dare eat again. As a result, their bodies became emaciated and their complexions withered.

At that time the Blessed One, though he already knew, nevertheless asked Ānanda:

"Why are these bhikkhus emaciated in body and withered in complexion?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"The Blessed One, by many skillful means, has taught the bhikkhus the practice of eating one meal a day and has praised it. Having heard this, the bhikkhus gathered together at one sitting all their khadanīya food, or the five kinds of staple food, or fruit juice, or medicine, ate it all at once, and did not dare eat again. For this reason their bodies are emaciated and their complexions withered."

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit the bhikkhus to eat in one sitting until they are fully satisfied."

When the bhikkhus heard that the Buddha permitted them to eat in one sitting until fully satisfied, they nevertheless still gathered together at one sitting all their khadanīya food, or the five kinds of staple food, or fruit juice, or medicine, eating it all at once, and did not dare eat again. As a result, their bodies became emaciated and their complexions withered. At that time the Blessed One, though he already knew, again asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why are these bhikkhus withered in body and withered in complexion?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"The bhikkhus heard the Blessed One permit them to eat in one sitting until fully satisfied; yet they still gathered together at one sitting all their khadanīya food, or the five kinds of staple food, or fruit juice, or medicine, eating it all at once, and did not dare eat again. For this reason their bodies are emaciated and their complexions withered."

The Blessed One said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit the bhikkhus to eat the five kinds of staple food—whether cooked rice, baked cakes, dried rice, fish, or meat—until they are fully satisfied. Among these five foods, whichever kind has been received, they may eat of it until fully satisfied."

At that time, bhikkhus who were sick, although they received fine foods such as cooked rice, flour cakes, dried rice, fish, and meat, lacked the physical strength to sit and eat continuously in one session until full, and so their bodies became emaciated and their complexions withered. The Blessed One, though he already knew, asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why are the sick bhikkhus emaciated in body and withered in complexion?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"These sick bhikkhus, though they received the five kinds of fine food, lack the physical strength to sit and eat in one session until fully satisfied, and so their bodies are emaciated and their complexions withered."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit sick bhikkhus to eat multiple times. Sick persons are not required to observe the rule of pavāraṇā."

At that time, sick bhikkhus received nourishing fine foods but could not finish them, and so gave the remainder to their nursing attendants. The nursing attendants, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw the remainder away. Various birds rushed to it, competing and clamoring noisily. The Blessed One, though he already knew, asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why are the birds clamoring so noisily?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"These sick bhikkhus received nourishing fine foods, could not finish them, and gave the remainder to their nursing attendants. The nursing attendants, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw it away. Therefore the birds compete for the food and clamor noisily in this way."

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit nursing attendants to eat the leftover food of the sick without being required to perform the pavāraṇā act."

At that time, some bhikkhus received food in the early morning and set it aside, then went into the village to collect alms. Having finished eating, they returned and took the stored food to give to other bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw it away. Birds competed for the food and clamored noisily. The Blessed One, though he already knew, asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why are the birds clamoring in this way?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"Some bhikkhus received food in the early morning and set it aside, then went into the village to collect alms. Having finished eating, they returned and took the stored food to give to other bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw it away, and so the birds competed for the food and clamored in this way."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit the bhikkhus to perform the pavāraṇā act with food they have received before eating it again. The pavāraṇā act is performed thus: the bhikkhu brings that food before a Venerable Elder who has not yet finished eating and says, 'Venerable Sir, I have already eaten enough; please be aware and take note.' This is the performance of the pavāraṇā act. That bhikkhu should take a little to eat and then say to the one performing the act, 'You may take and eat as you wish.' One should perform the pavāraṇā act in this manner before eating."

Later, there was an elder who was a bhikkhu well known to many people; he went into the village for alms, gathered much food, and assembled with others in one place to eat. When they had finished eating, he brought the leftover food back to the monastery for the other bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw it away. Birds competed for the food and clamored noisily. The Blessed One, though he already knew, asked Ānanda:

"Why are the birds clamoring in this way?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported:

"There is an elder, a bhikkhu well known to many, who went into the village for alms, gathered much food, and assembled with others in one place to eat. When they had finished eating, he brought the leftover food back to the monastery for the other bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus, having eaten their fill, did not dare eat more and threw it away. Therefore the birds competed for the food and clamored in this way."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit the bhikkhus to perform the pavāraṇā act with food brought from elsewhere before eating it. The pavāraṇā act is performed thus: the bhikkhu brings that food before a Venerable Elder who has not yet finished eating and says, 'Venerable Sir, I have already eaten enough; please be aware and take note.' This is the performance of the pavāraṇā act. That bhikkhu should take a little to eat and then say to the one performing the act, 'You may take and eat as you wish.' That bhikkhu should perform the pavāraṇā act in this manner before eating."

At that time there was a bhikkhu in the country of Śrāvastī who was greedy for food, who did not know what it was to eat enough or not enough, who did not know what constituted pavāraṇā or non-pavāraṇā, and who would eat whatever food was received.

The bhikkhus heard of this, and among them those of few desires and contentment, living the ascetic practices, delighting in training in the precepts, who knew shame and remorse, reproached that bhikkhu, saying: "How can you be so greedy for food, not knowing what it is to eat enough or not enough, not knowing pavāraṇā from non-pavāraṇā, eating whatever food is received?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side, then reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One thereupon convened the Sangha of bhikkhus on account of this matter. Knowing already, he still asked that bhikkhu:

"Is it true that you were greedy for food, not knowing what it is to eat enough or not enough, not knowing pavāraṇā from non-pavāraṇā, eating whatever food was received?"

That bhikkhu said:

"Blessed One, it is true."

"What you have done is wrong; it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a samaṇa, not pure conduct, not harmonious behavior—it is something that should not be done. Bhikkhu, how could you be so greedy for food?"

Having censured him, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"From now on, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhus, based on ten principles, up to and including the purpose of causing the True Dharma to endure long."

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu, having eaten enough, or when invited, eats again without performing the pavāraṇā act—pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Food: consists of five kinds—cooked rice, flour cakes, dried rice, fish, and meat. Among these five foods, whichever one is eaten—whether cooked rice, flour cakes, dried rice, fish, or meat—in such quantity as to produce fullness and satisfaction. There are five kinds of having eaten enough: knowing that it is food, knowing it has been brought, knowing one has declined, knowing the proper comportment, and knowing the relinquishing of that comportment. Having eaten enough and having relinquished the proper comportment, if one receives and eats again without performing the pavāraṇā act, one incurs a pācittiya for each mouthful eaten.

At that time, the Venerable Upāli rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha:

"When a bhikkhu is traveling, how many instances constitute having eaten enough?"

The Buddha said to Upāli:

"There are five cases that are considered pavāraṇā. What are the five? Upāli, a bhikkhu knows that he is traveling, knows that the food is cooked rice, knows that it has been brought, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows that he is traveling, knows flour cakes, knows dried rice, fish, and meat, knows the bringing of it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, at that time, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows that the food is flour cakes, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, at that time, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows dried rice, knows fish and meat, cooked rice, flour cakes, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows that the food is dried rice, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows fish and meat, cooked rice, flour cakes, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows that the food is fish, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquishing his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows meat, cooked rice, flour cakes, dried rice, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows that the food is meat, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Therein, Upāli, a bhikkhu knows when traveling, knows cooked rice, flour cakes, dried rice, fish and meat, knows the person who brings it, knows the restraint, knows the deportment, knows the relinquishing of deportment. Having reached pavāraṇā and having relinquished his deportment, if, without performing the act of remaining food, he receives food and eats it, he commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

"Upāli, these are called the five cases of pavāraṇā for a bhikkhu while traveling. The same applies when standing, sitting, or lying down."

As for khādanīya food, this comprises root khādanīya food, branch, leaf, flower, and fruit khādanīya food, oil, sesame, sugarcane, and ground food. Any bhikkhu who has reached pavāraṇā and, without performing the act of remaining food, receives food and eats it, commits one pācittiya for each mouthful.

If, having reached pavāraṇā, one performs the act of remaining food on behalf of another and the act of remaining food is not validly accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If, knowing that another has reached pavāraṇā, one performs the act of remaining food and the act of remaining food is not validly accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If a bhikkhu holds food with his own hand and performs the act of remaining food, and the act of remaining food is not validly accomplished, it is a dukkaṭa.

If one places food on the ground and performs the act of remaining food and it is not validly accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If a bhikkhu has a净人 (kappiyakāraka) hold the food and performs the act of remaining food, and the act of remaining food is not validly accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If a bhikkhu performs the act of remaining food in the presence of a净人, it is a dukkaṭa. If one covers good food with inferior food and performs the act of remaining food, and the act of remaining food is not validly accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If a bhikkhu takes away all of another's remaining food that has been validated and the act of remaining food is not accomplished, one commits a dukkaṭa.

If one has reached pavāraṇā and perceives that one has reached pavāraṇā, it is a pācittiya. If one has reached pavāraṇā and is in doubt, it is a dukkaṭa. If a bhikkhu has not reached pavāraṇā but perceives that one has reached pavāraṇā, one commits a dukkaṭa. If one has not reached pavāraṇā and is in doubt, it is a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a dukkaṭa. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī, it is a dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offenses: if one perceives food to be non-food and does not receive or perform the act of remaining food; if it is non-food and no act of remaining food is performed; if one holds it oneself and performs the act of remaining food; if one does not place it on the ground and performs the act of remaining food; even if one merely touches the food vessel with one's hand; or if one performs the act of remaining food for another and another performs it for oneself; or if one is ill and does not perform the act of remaining food; if the remaining food belongs to a sick person and no act of remaining food is performed; or if the act of remaining food has already been duly performed — in all these cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who offends for the first time before the rule has been promulgated; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or afflicted with severe pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Edited and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng.

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002.