Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 78Raw Grain

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

78. PRECEPT: REHEATING FOOD TO EAT.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Vesālī, the family of the bhikkhunī Bhaddā regularly brought food to her. Upon receiving the food, she would stir-fry and cook it, transforming it into different dishes. When her relatives and cousins came and saw the food, they asked:

—I would like to eat.

—Very well.

So they took the food and ate it, but noticing an unusual flavor, they asked:

—Where does such delicious food come from?

—That is food brought from the household.

The family members then became angry and reproached (the servants): "All this time our household has been preparing food, only wasting money and producing nothing good!" They returned home and beat the servants with a cane, scolding them: "Nothing but a useless waste of money, and there is nothing good to eat." Thus the messenger who had delivered the food grew resentful and said: "It is because of the bhikkhunī that I have suffered such misery."

The bhikkhunīs heard of this and reported it to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī then brought the matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha instructed that bhikkhunī Bhaddā be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Is it true that you did this?

—It is true, Blessed One.

—That is a wrongful act. From now on I do not permit the self-prepared cooking and transformation of food.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, there were at that time bhikkhunīs who were daughters of the Sakya clan and daughters of the Malla clan, who during almsround received cold rice, cold broth, and vegetables that had been kept overnight; upon eating these they immediately vomited. The bhikkhunīs reported this to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī then went before the Blessed One and said:

—Blessed One, do you permit us to reheat food?

—It is permitted.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī to convey the ruling to all bhikkhunīs residing in Vesālī, requiring them all to assemble, and even those who had already heard it were to hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī who is not ill, having received foods such as khādanīya and bhojanīya, then herself cooks them again, or instructs another to cook them again; herself fries them again, or instructs another to fry them again; herself reheats them, or instructs another to reheat them in order to eat, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Khādanīya: The five kinds of khādanīya food.

Bhojanīya: The five kinds of bhojanīya food.

Cooks again: Either cooking again herself or instructing another to cook again.

Fries: Either frying herself or instructing another to fry.

Reheats: Either reheating herself or instructing another to reheat.

Ill: If, due to old age, illness, or weakness, one vomits and is not at ease when eating cold food (and therefore reheats it to eat), the Blessed One says there is no offense. On the other hand, if a bhikkhunī who is not ill cooks food again to eat, she commits a pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As stated above, the Buddha does not permit frying or reheating food out of a desire for better flavor. However, if food is cold, it may be reheated until warm, but one should not use a pot or pan to cook it; rather, one should use only a bronze bowl, a deep bowl, or a covered dish to warm it.

If a bhikkhu, out of a desire for better flavor, himself cooks, fries, or reheats food to eat, he commits a dukkaṭa offense. However, if he instructs a净人 (净人 jìngrén, a lay attendant) to do it, there is no offense. If during almsround one encounters cold food and reheats it to eat, there is no offense. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH