Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 38Mouth Full

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA RULES

RULE 38

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 Saṅgha to receive an offering of rice, soup, and fine foods the following morning. He spent the night making full preparations, and early the next morning came to invite the monastics to receive the meal.

The bhikkhus put on their robes, took up their bowls, and went to the householder's home, where they sat down in their seats. The householder personally served the food with his own hands as an offering. The group of six bhikkhus were talking while their mouths were full of food. The householders criticized them, saying: "These Śākyan monastics have no sense of shame; they receive without being satisfied. Why do they talk with their mouths full of food? They eat like pigs, dogs, camels, birds, and crows!"

The bhikkhus heard this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the austere virtues, were fond of training in the precepts, and felt a sense of shame. They rebuked the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you talk with your mouths full of food?"

The bhikkhus went and reported this to the Blessed One. The Blessed One used this occasion to convene an assembly of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, it is not in keeping with the practice of monastics, it is not pure conduct, it is not a conforming act; it is something that should not be done. Why do you talk with your mouths full of food?"

At that time the Blessed One rebuked them with many expedient means, and then addressed the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field in which many seeds of defiled existence are planted; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the principle that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated as follows:

One must not speak with a mouthful of food—śaikṣa-karaṇīya.

Speaking with a mouthful of food: when food is in the mouth, speech is unclear and the listener cannot understand. If a bhikkhu intentionally speaks with a mouthful of food, he commits a duṣkṛta offense requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta of improper conduct. If it is unintentional, he commits a duṣkṛta.

Bhikṣuṇīs, and likewise novices—sāmaṇeras and sāmaṇerīs—commit a duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one has an illness of this kind; or if one is choking and calls for water; or if there is a threat to life or a threat to the brahmacarya and one speaks out while eating—there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender before the rule was laid down; one who is mentally deranged; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is overcome with pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002