Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 36Overlarge Mouthful

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-DHARMAS

RULE 36

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a householder invited the bhikkhus to come the following morning to receive an offering of fine and nourishing food. That same night he made full preparations, and early in the morning came to invite the Saṅgha to take the meal.

The bhikkhus put on their robes, took up their bowls, went to the householder's home, and sat down in their seats. The householder personally served food to the Saṅgha with his own hands. The group of six bhikkhus formed large balls of rice too big for their mouths to contain. The householder, seeing this, was displeased and said: "These Śākyan monastics are without shame and receive without restraint. They eat like pigs, dogs, camels, donkeys, oxen, birds, and crows."

The bhikkhus heard this. Among them were those of few desires and contentment, who lived the dhūta practices, were fond of training in the precepts, and knew shame. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you form such large balls of rice?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, bowed down at his feet, and sat to one side. They then reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One used this occasion to assemble the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper deportment, not in accordance with the Dharma of monastics, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior — you have done what ought not to be done. Why did you form such large balls of rice?"

At that time, after the Blessed One had rebuked them with countless skillful means, he said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field for planting many seeds of the āsravas, and they are the first to transgress this rule. From this time forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten principles, up to and including the principle of the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The rule should be stated as follows:

One must not eat overlarge mouthfuls — śaikṣa-dharma.

Bhikkhu: the meaning is as stated above.

Overlarge: meaning the mouth cannot fully contain it.

A bhikkhu who intentionally forms an overlarge mouthful commits a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, it constitutes a duṣkṛta of improper deportment. If it is done unintentionally, it is also a duṣkṛta.

For bhikkhunīs down to śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs, it is a duṣkṛta. This is called a transgression.

No offense: if one suffers from such an illness, or the midday hour is about to pass, or there is danger to one's life, or danger to one's practice of purity, and one must eat quickly — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not transgress: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or oppressed by extreme pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002