Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 44Poking Tongue

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-DHARMA

RULE 44

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a householder invited the bhikkhus to a meal of fine food on the following day. During the night he made full preparations, and early in the morning he came to invite the Sangha to come and 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 the prepared seats. The householder personally, with his own hands, served food to the venerable ones. The group of six bhikkhus stuck out their tongues to lick the food. The householder reproached them, saying: "These Śākyaputra recluses have no sense of shame… they eat like pigs, dogs, camels, cows, donkeys, birds, and crows!"

The bhikkhus heard this. Among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic rules, were fond of training in the precepts, and possessed a sense of shame and remorse. They rebuked the group of six bhikkhus (…) and then went to the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They then presented this matter in full to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One used this cause and circumstance to assemble the Sangha of bhikkhus, and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus… as above, up to the words: "From this day forward, I shall establish the precepts for the bhikkhus, comprising ten meaningful phrases, up to the phrase: so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

One should not lick food with the tongue — this is a śaikṣa-dharma.

Licking with the tongue: this means extending the tongue outward to take up food.

If a bhikkhu intentionally licks food with his tongue, he commits a duṣkṛta offense requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta offense of improper deportment. If it is not intentional, he commits a duṣkṛta offense.

Bhikkhunīs, and on down to novice monks and novice nuns: duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with such an illness, or is bound, or if the hands are soiled with mud, or with dirty earth, or the hands are sweaty, and one therefore licks the food with the tongue — there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the precept was established; one who is insane; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted with pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publications Committee, 2002