Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 31Eating at a Public Guest-house

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– CLEARLY EXPLAINING THE FIFTH SECTION OF THE NINETY-TWO SINGLE EXPIATION RULES

31. RULE: EATING BEYOND THE LIMIT OF WHAT IS OFFERED.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Sāvatthī—as described at length above—at that time a certain monk had just completed his rains retreat in a village and set out on the road to Sāvatthī to visit the Blessed One. At that time, a lay supporter in the village had just finished building a merit hall and was preparing a meal to offer to the Sangha of the four quarters. When this monk arrived, the lay supporter was very pleased and said: "Excellent, Venerable Sir, you have just arrived!" He then spread out a bed and mattress, brought water for washing the feet, provided oil for anointing the feet, and offered water to drink outside of mealtime.

In the evening he lit bright lamps and prepared a place to rest so that the monk might sleep in comfort. The following morning he again provided tooth-sticks, clean water, and offered a delicious and appetizing meal. After eating, the monk thought to himself: "I have come from afar, tired and hungry, and now I have received such delightful food and drink.

I should remain here for a few days to rest and restore my body to good health, and then go to visit the Blessed One." Having thought thus, he spent his days resting in a secluded forest and returned to the house in the evening. The lay supporter, seeing him still there, treated him with the same warmth as before. By the third day, the lay supporter asked: "Where will the Venerable One take his meal today?"

—Here.

—And where did you take your meal yesterday?

—Here as well.

—And where will you take your meal tomorrow?

—Here also.

The lay supporter then reproached him: "My household is poor and barely gets by. Here we are able to offer a meal to the Sangha of the four quarters just once. The Venerable One should not stay long. If my household were wealthy and prosperous, we would be glad to offer to all the Sangha without limit."

The monk then thought: "The lay supporter has spoken words that seem to express complaint—I must leave." Thereupon he departed and gradually made his way to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side. Although the Buddha already knew, he asked: "Where did you observe the rains retreat?"

—In such-and-such a village.

—When did you set out?

—On such-and-such a day.

—For what reason did such a short journey take so many days?

The monk then reported the whole matter to the Blessed One in full. The Buddha said: "That was not fitting. How could you cause a lay supporter to complain merely for the sake of satisfying your body and mouth? From this time forward, in any place where only a single meal is offered, a monk may not receive more than one meal."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Sāvatthī, a certain monk had just completed his rains retreat in another village and set out on the road to Sāvatthī to visit the Blessed One. At that time, a lay supporter in the village had built a merit hall and was offering a meal to the Sangha of the four quarters, and it happened that this monk arrived there at that moment. They duly provided him with the various necessities as described above.

After the monk finished eating and set out, a wind ailment arose in him, and he thought: "I cannot travel, yet the Blessed One has laid down the rule that in any place where a single meal is offered, one may not eat more than one meal. Now I shall remain here, but I will not partake of their food." Having thought thus, he returned to that house. The lay supporter again provided the necessities as before, but the monk did not accept them.

The following morning, they again set out food, and he still did not partake of it. He then set out, thinking to himself: "When I reach the next village, I will go on alms-round to eat." But when he arrived at that village, the sun had already passed the noon hour, and thus he could not eat, causing all four limbs to grow weak and limp. He then went to where the Blessed One was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side.

Although the Buddha already knew, he asked, and the monk then reported the whole matter to the Blessed One in full. The Buddha praised him: "Well done, well done, monk! You have conformed to the True Dharma, your faith in having gone forth is genuine, you are of few desires and content with what you have, and you have not violated what the Tathāgata has laid down even for the sake of your life.

From this time forward, I permit a monk who is ill to eat more than one meal at a merit hall."

The Buddha then ordered all the monks dwelling at Sāvatthī to assemble together, and for ten beneficial reasons he laid down the rule for the monks, which all must hear again even if they have already heard it:

"In any place where a single meal is offered, a monk who is not ill should eat only one meal. If he eats more than one meal, he commits a Pācittiya offense."

Explanation

A place where a single meal is offered: The Blessed One permits eating there.

Food: Comprises five kinds, as described above.

Not ill: The body is without illness or disease. But if one is ill and unable to travel, one may remain and eat without incurring an offense. Conversely, if one is not ill and eats more than one meal, one commits a Pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As described above.

If there is a row of sixteen rooms, each room offering a single meal, and a monk comes to stay in one of those rooms on account of business concerning the Sangha, a stupa, or himself, he may eat one meal there to attend to that business. If the business is not yet completed, he must move to the second room, stay the night, eat one meal, and then depart. If the business is still not completed, he may proceed in sequence through all sixteen rooms, eating sixteen meals in order to see the business through to completion and then depart.

If the business is still not finished, he may not eat again in those houses and must go on alms-round elsewhere; he may not beg from those houses. If from the outset those who built the hall were village members who worked together in its construction, he may not beg for alms in that village either, but must go to another village to receive alms, while lodging in that village to attend to the business. If the business is still unfinished, he may return to the sixteen rooms and receive meals as before.

If during that time the business is still unfinished, he must leave that place for one night before returning to receive meals and attend to the business. However, if that family's son has taken a wife and they say to the monk: "If I were to send a messenger to invite you, there is no certainty you would come—how much less so now that you are present here; how could we let you leave?"—then in that case the monk may accept their invitation to remain and receive meals without incurring an offense.

Therefore it is said as above.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHHADRA OF INDIA TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH