Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pd 1Receiving a Nun’s Food

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀṬIDESANĪYA

1. RECEIVING FOOD HANDED BY A NUN WHEN SHE IS NOT NEARBY IN A LAYPERSON'S HOME

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the city of Sāvatthī. At that time grain and rice were scarce, the people were suffering from famine, countless people were dying, and it was difficult to obtain almsfood.

At that time, the bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā, at the hour for almsround, put on her robe, took up her bowl, and entered the city of Sāvatthī to collect alms. On the first day she received food and brought it to the bhikkhus. On the second day and the third day she received food, and Uppalavaṇṇā likewise brought it to the bhikkhus.

After some time had passed, the bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā put on her robe, took up her bowl, and entered the city of Sāvatthī to collect alms. At that time a wealthy householder was traveling by carriage with his retinue to pay his respects to King Pasenadi. The retinue drove people aside to clear the road for the householder's carriage. The bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā stepped to the edge of the road to avoid them, stumbled into a muddy place, and fell face-down onto the ground. The householder saw this, was moved with compassion, and immediately stopped his carriage. He ordered his attendants to descend and help Uppalavaṇṇā to her feet and guide her out of the mud. The householder asked:

"What illness does the venerable one suffer from, that she fell in such a manner?"

Uppalavaṇṇā replied:

"I have no illness at all. It is simply because of hunger that it came to this."

The householder asked:

"Why are you hungry? Is it because almsround yields little?"

Uppalavaṇṇā replied:

"Almsround yields well enough. But on the first day, what I received I brought to the bhikkhus. On the second and third days as well, the food I received I also brought to the bhikkhus. That is why I am hungry."

The householder was displeased and said:

"The disciples of the Śākyan ascetic receive without knowing sufficiency, without weariness, without shame. Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma. What Dharma is there in this? They receive the food of bhikkhunīs without showing the least restraint. Even if the one who gives is not weary of giving, still the one who receives ought to know what is enough!"

The householder then brought this bhikkhunī to his home. He had her bathed and her robes washed. He had his people cook porridge for her to eat. He provided her with what she needed, and said: "From now on, you may come to my home to eat. There is no need to go elsewhere. If you happen to receive anything additional from somewhere else, you may give it away as you see fit."

The bhikkhus heard of this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic rules, were fond of learning the precepts, and who knew shame. They rebuked the other bhikkhus, saying: "How could you accept food from a bhikkhunī?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They presented this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked those bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong. It is not proper conduct, not the way of a śramaṇa, not pure practice, not befitting behavior—you have done what should not be done. Why did you receive food from the bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā without knowing moderation?"

Having rebuked those bhikkhus with numerous means, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field that grows many seeds of defilement—they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall set forth a precept for the bhikkhus, comprising ten bases of meaning, up to and including the purpose of the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The precept to be proclaimed is as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu, having entered a village, receives food directly from a bhikkhunī with his own hands and eats it—that bhikkhu must confess before another bhikkhu, saying: 'Venerable one, I have committed a blameworthy act, something that should not be done. I now confess and repent before the Venerable one.' This is a rule of acknowledgment.

The Blessed One thus established this precept for the bhikkhus. At that time, the bhikkhus were uncertain and did not dare receive food from bhikkhunīs who were their relatives. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward, I permit bhikkhus to receive food from bhikkhunīs who are their relatives."

Bhikkhus who were ill again had doubts and did not dare receive food from bhikkhunīs who were not their relatives. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward, I permit bhikkhus who are ill to receive food from bhikkhunīs who are not their relatives."

At that time the bhikkhus again had doubts, so when bhikkhunīs who were not their relatives placed food on the ground, they did not dare receive it; or when someone was directed to hand it over, they did not dare receive it either. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward, I permit bhikkhus to receive food in such a manner."

From this day forward the precept shall be proclaimed as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu, having entered a village, when not ill, receives food directly with his own hands from a bhikkhunī who is not a relative and eats it—that bhikkhu must confess before another bhikkhu, saying: 'Venerable one, I have committed a blameworthy act, something that should not be done. I now confess and repent before the Venerable one.' This is a rule of acknowledgment.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: the meaning is as above.

Relative and non-relative: as explained above.

Ill: also as above.

Food: there are two kinds, as explained above.

If that bhikkhu, having entered a village, goes to a bhikkhunī who is not his relative and, while not ill, receives food directly with his own hands and eats it—for each such mouthful he commits one pāṭidesanīya offense.

For a bhikkhunī: a dukkaṭa. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī: a dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: receiving food from a bhikkhunī who is a relative; or when one is ill; or when it is placed on the ground and offered; or when someone is directed to hand it over; or when it is offered within a monastery; or when it is offered outside a village; or when it is offered within a nunnery. If it is handed over in such ways and received to be eaten, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first to act before the precept was established; one who is mad; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is overwhelmed by painful affliction.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng.

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002.