Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 39Lifted Lump

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-DHARMA

RULE 39

Once the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the land of Śrāvastī. At that time, a householder invited the bhikkhus to receive an offering of rice, soup, and fine foods the following morning. During the 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 their bowls, and went to the householder's home, seating themselves in their places. The householder personally served food to the Saṅgha with his own hands. The group of six bhikkhus took lumps of rice and tossed them from a distance into their mouths. The householder saw this and expressed his reproach, saying: "These Śākyan monastics have no sense of shame—they receive offerings insatiably. They are just like jugglers!"

The bhikkhus heard this, and among them were those of few desires, contentment, who practiced the ascetic rules, delighted in training in the precepts, and knew shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus … (as above), then went to the Blessed One, prostrated at his feet, and sat to one side. They reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One used this occasion to assemble the community of bhikkhus and reproached the group of six bhikkhus … (as above), and further:

"From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, comprised of ten beneficial factors, and so on up to the phrase: that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule to be recited shall be spoken thus:

One shall not toss a lump of rice from a distance into the mouth — śaikṣa-dharma.

A bhikkhu who intentionally tosses a lump of rice from a distance into his mouth commits a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, it constitutes an offense of improper comportment, a duṣkṛta. If done without intention, it is a duṣkṛta.

For bhikkhunīs, down to śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs — duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one suffers from such an illness; or if one is bound and restrained, and food is thrown into one's mouth — there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who offends for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is mentally deranged; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted and overwhelmed by pain.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and竺佛念 (Zhu Fo-nian).

Edited and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002