Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 32Eating Successive Meals

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

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

32. RULE: EATING MULTIPLE TIMES IN ONE DAY.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as explained in detail above, at that time the farmers who worked in the Saṅgha's gardens would, every year at the beginning of the harvest season, offer a meal of alms-food to the Saṅgha.

What is meant by every year at the beginning of the harvest season? It is when the ordinary rice ripens, when the barley ripens, when the mung beans are harvested, when the groundnuts are harvested, when the sugarcane is harvested, and so forth. The farmers would set aside a portion of each kind to keep for offering to the Saṅgha.

At that time, a certain farmer spoke to a monk: "Every year at the beginning of the harvest season I offer a meal of alms-food to the Saṅgha. If on any day at the Jetavana monastery there is no one making an offering, please let me know, and I will make an offering so that the Saṅgha may eat and drink their fill."

At that time, the lay devotees there were making offerings of food and drink according to a schedule, one after another, but among these there was one day on which no offering was made. Therefore a messenger came and said to the farmer: "Elder, tomorrow at the Jetavana there is no one making an offering. You previously made a promise to offer — now is the right occasion."

Upon hearing this, the farmer went to the Jetavana, bowed his head in reverence at the feet of the Saṅgha, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said: "I am the farmer so-and-so. Tomorrow I will prepare a meal as an offering. I request that all the Saṅgha please accept my invitation."

The Saṅgha then accepted the invitation. Now at that time there was a householder who had purchased two oxen with five hundred old coins. Wishing to test their strength, he yoked them to a cart and drove them back and forth within the distance of one yojana. Because the yoke was too tight, one of the oxen died. He was extremely distressed, and stood beating his chest and lamenting: "Why did I pay such a high price for these oxen, and before I could even put them to use, one has died like this!"

Suddenly a person acquainted with the householder asked him: "Why are you so sorrowful?"

The householder then explained the matter in full as described above. His friend then asked: "Why do you not perform the kiena ceremony?"

— What is the kiena ceremony?

— The kiena ceremony means that you go to the Jetavana, invite the Saṅgha to your home, slaughter that ox, cook its meat, and offer it as a meal to the Saṅgha.

Upon hearing this, he went at once to the Jetavana, entered the hall, bowed his head at the feet of the Saṅgha, then knelt and joined his palms, and said the following: "I am so-and-so. Tomorrow I respectfully invite the Saṅgha to come to my home so that I may offer a simple meal. I hope the Saṅgha will accept my invitation."

At that time, a monk who was an old acquaintance of his came and said: "You do not yet know the proper way to invite. Why did you not speak with me first so that I could instruct you in the proper way to invite the Saṅgha?"

He then explained: "Venerable, I spent five hundred old coins to purchase two oxen, but one has died. Now I wish to use its meat to make an offering to the Saṅgha."

— But the Saṅgha has already accepted the invitation of another person.

— I have already prepared the food; what should I do now?

— Now I will instruct you to go back and say the following to the Saṅgha: "I invite the Saṅgha to come to my home tomorrow to accept a meal." If the Saṅgha asks you what food you have prepared, you must answer: "I have prepared noodles, rice, and meat."

Having been so instructed, he returned to where the Saṅgha was, bowed his head at their feet, knelt, joined his palms, and said the following: "I am so-and-so. I respectfully invite the Saṅgha to come to my home tomorrow to accept a meal. I hope the Saṅgha will accept my invitation."

The monks asked: "What food have you prepared?"

— I have prepared noodles, rice, and meat.

— Elder, tomorrow you should have everything ready.

— Yes, I respectfully ask the Venerable Ones to come early tomorrow morning.

He then returned home and throughout the night cooked the meat and prepared all the food. Early in the morning he spread out the seats and cushions, filtered clean water, and then went to inform the Saṅgha: "The time has come."

The Saṅgha put on their robes, took up their bowls, went to his home, and sat in order of seniority. The donor then served delicious food, and the Saṅgha ate and drank their fill and returned to the monastery.

Now, the farmer thought to himself: "The monks are people who eat only one meal a day, so they ought to eat early." Therefore he spent the whole night preparing the food, spread out the seats and cushions, filtered clean water, and when all was done, went to the Jetavana, bowed his head in reverence at the feet of the Saṅgha, knelt, joined his palms, and said: "The time has come."

At that moment, because the monks had just eaten their fill, though they saw him come to invite them, they seemed as if they had not heard. He then thought to himself: "How strange! How strange! These monks eat only one meal a day and ought to be hungry much of the time — why is it that when invited to a meal they seem as if they have not heard? If followers of other paths were invited to a meal, they would immediately take up their three-sectioned staff and water vessel and set off at once." After he had thus urged them a second and third time, the monks finally rose, leisurely went to relieve themselves, loosened their waistbands, adjusted their deportment, and unhurriedly walked to his home, where they sat in order.

At that time the farmer personally served the food, and when he filled the ladle and offered it to the senior elder, the elder raised his hand to signal that he would take only a little. The farmer then said: "You monks eat only one meal a day — why do you show no enthusiasm for this food?"

Then he thought to himself: "If the senior elder eats little, then the junior monks must eat more — the second, third, and so on, down to the youngest monks, must eat even more." Then he said: "You eat only one meal a day, yet you show not the slightest interest in this food!" At that moment, among the junior monks there was one who was newly ordained and muddle-headed, and he said the following: "Today we did not come here to eat; we came only to oblige you. The reason is that we have already eaten our fill elsewhere. If you do not believe me, look — there is still grease on my feet."

Upon hearing this, the farmer was displeased. He threw the pot of food to the ground and said with indignation: "You monks accepted my invitation first — why did you go and eat elsewhere?" With resentment in his heart, he went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the feet of the Buddha, then stood to one side and said to the Buddha: "Why did the monks accept my invitation first and then go and take a meal elsewhere?" The Buddha then expounded the Dharma to this farmer in an appropriate manner, counseling and instructing him until he was gladdened. He then said to the Buddha: "Blessed One, the food that I offered to the Saṅgha was left over — where should it be discarded?"

The Buddha said: "Go to such-and-such a lake, sweep the ground clean on the bank of the lake, and then bring the remaining food and leave it there. For at this time King Prasenajit fought with the Ṛṣika soldiers but could not prevail and has withdrawn his troops, and they are now encamped there. You may bring that food and offer it to the king.

For the king has just descended to the lake to bathe and has changed into fresh garments." Following the Buddha's instruction, he brought the aforementioned food and offered it to the king and his officers and soldiers. Because they received delicious food at a time when they were hungry and thirsty, they ate with great joy. The king thereupon issued an order to reward him with various treasures.

Receiving this immediate benefit, he was supremely pleased.

Thereupon the Buddha had the monks who had accepted and eaten at that other meal summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Why did you accept the invitation of someone and then go and take a meal elsewhere? O monks, do you not know? It is like a person who venerates the household deity or the deity of a tree: if those deities wish to go anywhere, they must first partake of the food offered by the master of the house before going elsewhere. You have done something contrary to human feeling — having already accepted someone's invitation, you went and took a meal elsewhere. From this day forward, I do not permit monks to eat wherever they please."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as explained in detail above. The Blessed One, for five beneficial reasons, would inspect the monks' quarters once every five days.

Suddenly he saw that a certain monk was ill. Though he knew this, the Buddha still asked: "O monk, what illness do you have? Is it better or worse at this time?"

— I am very ill and it is not diminishing. Previously, when I was able to eat regularly, my body was at ease. Since the Blessed One laid down the rule forbidding miscellaneous eating, my illness has not improved.

— From today I permit monks who are ill to eat multiple times each day.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā would every year invite the Saṅgha to receive a meal offering and present robes. At that time, in the Jetavana monastery there were sixty monks who were ill, and they came to her house. Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā said: "Venerable ones, there are five hundred monks in the Jetavana monastery—why have only sixty come today?"

The monks said to her: "The Blessed One has laid down a rule that monks are not permitted to eat wherever they please, except for those who are ill; therefore only the sick monks have come here."

"Venerable ones, the purpose of an invitation to eat is the meal itself. If the venerable ones eat my food, then I will present robes; but if you do not partake of the meal, I will not present robes. Venerable ones, on this occasion of the robe-presentation, could the venerable ones please go and inform the Buddha and request that he allow an expedient measure?"

The monks then brought this matter to the Blessed One and reported it to him. The Buddha said to the monks: "Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā is a woman of intelligence and wisdom. From now on I permit that during the period of robe-presentation, monks may receive meals on successive occasions in a single day."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, a group of people engaged in collecting donations were organizing a great assembly to offer a meal to the renunciants of ninety-six sects, and so they went to the houses of laymen to solicit offerings. One layman set a condition: "If you arrange for my teachers to be seated in the foremost place, I will give you the offerings." The collector replied: "Consider this: if followers of the other sects also say, 'If you arrange for my teachers to be seated in the foremost place, I will give you offerings,' how could I possibly promise everyone that their teachers would have the first seats?

You need only give me the offerings, and on such-and-such a day and month, I will erect banners and flags, display jeweled trees, and lay out fine seats and furnishings on the banks of the Aciravatī River, and hold a great assembly offering a meal with fine and varied delicacies. Among the renunciants, whoever arrives first shall be seated in the foremost place."

The laymen, thinking that the Buddha and the Saṅgha were a supreme field of merit, gave offerings to the collector, and then went to the Venerable Ānanda, bowed their heads at his feet, reported the full details of the matter, and added: "The Venerable One must find a way to ensure that the monks are seated in the foremost place, so that the heretics may be put to shame."

The Venerable Ānanda then went to the Buddha, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and fully reported the matter to the Blessed One. Thereupon, the collectors, having finished preparing the food, invited the renunciants of the ninety-six sects, and at the same time invited King Prasenajit together with his ministers and princes to attend. Village headmen, elder householders of long standing, and the organizers—when the time came, they all gathered on the banks of the Aciravatī River to attend the great assembly.

The day before the assembly, the Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana: "You should know the proper time." The Venerable Maudgalyāyana then used his supernatural powers to stir up the river, making the waters surge and churn, filled with foam and froth overflowing to the banks. All the heretics said to one another: "We must cross the river first so as to secure the foremost seats." So throughout the night they competed to paddle their boats and rafts, hoping to cross the river first;

but because the current ran swift and strong, though they wished to reach the opposite bank, their vessels were swept back again, so that they labored and struggled with poles and oars throughout the night—some boats sinking into the cold waters, others being cast ashore to lie stranded and exposed under the sky—and yet by the time of the meal they were still unable to cross.

At that time, at the Jetavana monastery there were people offering a meal to the Saṅgha, and so the Buddha remained, waiting for them. The younger monks among the bhikkhus all said: "The Blessed One is setting out so late today—we fear the heretics will have occupied the foremost seats!"

Yet at the appointed time, the Blessed One, dignified and unhurried, draped his robe, took up his bowl, and set out with the great assembly toward the riverbank.

When the heretics saw this, they said to one another: "We toiled all night and still could not cross—how will these shaven-headed śramaṇas manage to cross?"

At that moment the Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana: "You yourself know what must be done to bring the monks safely across the river."

Thereupon Maudgalyāyana used his supernatural power to conjure a bridge of seven precious materials, with balustrades made of various gems and strands of the seven treasures stretched across it overhead; he caused a rain of precious flowers to fall, celestial music to play, and fragrant incense to burn, so that clouds of perfumed smoke billowed forth. When the heretics saw such a bridge, they were all filled with joy, and each group said among themselves: "These śramaṇas are approaching slowly—we must cross the river first to claim the foremost position."

They then rushed to scramble onto the bridge; because each wished to cross before the others, they jostled and pressed upon one another so that they all tumbled headlong into the water. The heretics' belongings—their robes, their three-knobbed staffs, their water vessels—all fell into the water and floated about in disarray. Yet through the supernatural power of the Blessed One, no one died. Thereupon the Blessed One and the monks, in dignified and orderly procession, advanced serenely—the Buddha going first and the monks following in due sequence. When the Buddha and all the monks had crossed, including the very last one, Maudgalyāyana caused the jeweled bridge to vanish.

The Buddha then said to Maudgalyāyana: "Restore the river to its former state."

At that point, the heretics began to cross the river one after another by boat and raft.

The Buddha then stood on the bank, looked back at them, and recited these verses:

"Those who have crossed to the farther shore first
Have transcended the ocean of birth and death;
They are not buried and lost in the world—
With right wisdom they have crossed to the other shore."

Having recited the verses, the Buddha proceeded with composure to his seat. The monks also took their seats in due order. The heretics, having crossed the river last, came and sat behind the monks.

The lay donors then, with their own hands, brought food and drink and offered it to the Blessed One and his disciples. At that point, doubt arose in the minds of the monks: the Blessed One had laid down a rule that eating on successive occasions was not permitted—how then were they able to eat again? They arose and put this question to the Buddha. The Buddha said: "I permit the performance of the act of dedicating food, to be stated as follows: 'I now receive this food and offer it to Bhikkhu So-and-so… and down to the novice nuns. If they do not accept it, I myself will partake.' This is to be said three times."

At that time, each of the lay donors thought: "Who should lead the blessing recitation?" Some proposed Nirgrantha-putta, others mentioned Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, and so on, suggesting various heretics to lead the recitation. However, many others said: "The śramaṇa Gautama is seated in the highest place—he is the one fit to recite the blessing." At that moment the Blessed One, seated in the midst of the ninety-six sects of heretics, neither exalted himself nor belittled others, and compliantly led the blessing recitation—as is fully described in the Jātaka.

The Blessed One then widely expounded the Dharma in accordance with the occasion, teaching and instructing them so that they gained benefit and joy, and they departed. The Buddha then returned to the Jetavana and commanded all monks dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he laid down this rule for the monks—which all must hear again, even those who have heard it before:

"If a monk eats successive meals in a single day—except in certain circumstances—he commits a Pācittiya."

Explanation

Certain circumstances: When one is ill; when robes are being sewn. These are called certain circumstances.

Successive meals: Having eaten, one eats again.

Except in certain circumstances: Except when there is illness.

Illness: Febrile disease, wind disorder, cold disorder—in general, when afflicted by such ailments and eating again brings ease to the body, there is no offense.

The time of robes: If the Kaṭhina robe has not been received, the period is one month. If the Kaṭhina robe has been received, the period is five months. During that period, one may be released from five prohibitions without offense. Those five are: one may eat apart from the group; one may eat again after having eaten; when departing from one's residence one need not inform others; one may keep robes for an extended period; and when resting and sleeping one may be apart from one's robes.

Pācittiya: As stated above.

A monk must know on which days the act of food dedication is to be performed, know the number of his rains-residence years, remember how long he has been keeping a robe received, know when he may eat apart from the group, and know whether he is ill or not. If someone asks: "What day of the month is it today?" one must not ask them in return: "What day was it yesterday?" Rather, one must know that the day is the first, or the second of the month, and so on through the fourteenth and the fifteenth, and one must also clearly know whether it is a full month or a short month.

Each morning a bhikkhu should call to mind the practice of the offering of food (thí thực): "If today I receive food, I shall offer it to such-and-such a group. If that group does not accept it, I shall partake of it." This should be said three times. Each day the bhikkhu should remember how many rains he has observed, should remember which of the three robes he has formally received, and whichever robe has not been formally received must be relinquished through the act of offering. He should also remember at what times he is permitted to eat separately from the community, whether he is ill or not ill.

What is the measure of a single meal for a bhikkhu? If it is plain rice, three bowls; if it is rice noodles, two bowls; or one bowl of rice cooked from grain, with an additional bowl or half-bowl of fish or meat. That is the measure of one meal for a bhikkhu.

If food being cooked at the monastery has not yet finished cooking, and a bhikkhu takes flour and stirs it into a drink to consume, he commits the offense of eating successive meals, which is a Pācittiya offense. However, if he has performed the act of offering, or if he is ill, there is no offense; or during the robe season, there is likewise no offense.

If someone outside has invited a bhikkhu to a meal, and the bhikkhu at that time asks someone to go and fetch food for him, but the food has not yet been brought back and, being hungry, the bhikkhu takes flour, stirs it into a drink, and intends to consume it, and just then the food is brought back—if the bhikkhu bringing the food knows the Vinaya, he should wait a moment until the other bhikkhu has performed the act of offering before handing over the food.

On the other hand, if the bhikkhu bringing the food is not well-versed in the Vinaya and immediately hands the food over, and the receiving bhikkhu eats without having first performed the act of offering, then while the food is still in his mouth that bhikkhu should recite the act of offering—that is, he exchanges a heavier offense for a lighter one.

If a bhikkhu goes to the home of a donor, and the donor says, "Venerable sir, today I invite you to remain here for the meal," that place is then called the place of the meal.

At that moment, if the bhikkhu thinks, "The rice here is not yet cooked; I should now go to another house," he should inform the householder before departing. If he departs without informing them, he commits a Pācittiya offense. If he then arrives at another house and receives and eats either five kinds of staple food or five kinds of non-staple food, he commits two Pācittiya offenses. On the other hand, in cases where one is permitted to eat successive meals in a day, or is permitted to leave one's dwelling without giving notice, or is ill, or has performed the act of offering before eating, there is no offense; and during the robe season, in both cases there is no offense.

If a donor says the following: "Venerable sir, whenever you have no food, please come to my home for a meal."

Then one day a bhikkhu comes to that home and says: "Layman, today I shall take my meal here."

Then the laywoman says: "Very well, I shall make preparations."

If the food is not yet cooked and the bhikkhu wishes to go to another house, he must inform the householder before departing. If he departs without informing them, he commits the offense as stated above.

If a bhikkhu going on almsround in sequence comes to a certain house, and the donor says, "Today our household is inviting the bhikkhus to a meal; please, Venerable sir, remain here and do not go elsewhere"—if the bhikkhu accepts this invitation, he is regarded as eating there. But if this bhikkhu on his almsround has already accepted the invitation and then thinks, "Who would accept someone's invitation to eat in such a manner only under compulsion?"—and then wishes to leave, he should inform them. If he leaves without informing them, he commits the offense as stated above.

If a bhikkhu of great virtue and renown has many people bringing food to offer him, and wishing to gratify the donors he accepts everything, he commits the offense of eating successive meals, which is a Pācittiya offense. If he performs the act of offering, or if he is ill, there is no offense; or during the robe season, in both cases there is no offense.

There are two bhikkhus, each of whom is regularly invited to eat by a respective family. If the first bhikkhu says to the second bhikkhu, "Elder, today come with me to take the meal at my donor's home," the second bhikkhu must inform his own donor before going. If he goes without informing them, it is as stated above.

Conversely, if the second bhikkhu invites the first bhikkhu, the same applies. The meal of a bhikkhu consists of: plain rice, three bowls; rice noodles, two bowls; or one bowl of rice cooked from grain, and fish or meat approximately one bowl or half a bowl. Each such portion of food constitutes one meal for a bhikkhu.

If from a single household one receives three thăng, or two thăng, or one thăng, or half a thăng, however much one receives, there is no offense. If from a single household one receives three bowls of plain rice, two bowls of rice noodles, or one bowl of rice cooked from grain together with fish or meat of approximately one bowl or half a bowl, one may not receive additional food from elsewhere. In this case, what constitutes an offense, and what does not?

If the gruel, having just been ladled from the pot, can be used to write characters (meaning it does not flow back together), then there is an offense. If it cannot be used to write characters, there is no offense. All vegetables, all noodles, all cakes, all fruits—none of these fall under the category of foods prohibited from being eaten successively in a day; none fall under the category of foods prohibited from being eaten separately from the community; they cannot bring one to fullness; therefore storing them in abundance at home is not an offense.

Thus it is said. (as above)

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHADRA FROM INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH