Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 38Accepting Two or Three Bowls Full

– THE MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA OFFENSES

– EXPLAINING THE SIXTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

38. Rule: Accepting Food Beyond the Amount Offered.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, a householder had a daughter of incomparable beauty, and her parents were greatly delighted. When a full month had passed, the parents intended to hold a celebration ceremony, and they thought: "This child is beautiful and rare in the world; if the king were to learn of her, he would certainly take her away.

We should therefore give her an ugly name." So they named her Lychee Pit. As the girl gradually grew up, the king's court astrologer saw her and asked the people: "Whose child is this?" Someone replied: "She is the daughter of such-and-such a householder." The king's astrologer thought to himself: "This girl's auspicious marks indicate she should become the great consort of the king," and so he reported to the king: "In that household there is a daughter of noble marks, worthy of becoming Queen; she should be brought into the palace." The king thereupon sent someone to that household to inquire her name, and they replied: "Her name is Lychee Pit." The envoy returned and reported this to the king.

The king said: "This name is not auspicious. I have no need of her." Later, someone sought to marry her, and his parents instructed him to bring her home. The husband sent an envoy to request the bride, and the girl's family replied: "We will send her right away," and began preparing the gifts and farewell provisions for their daughter, as well as various kinds of cakes.

Suddenly a bhikkhu on his alms round came to that house. The mother saw him, gave rise to faith and joy, and asked: "Venerable Sir, do you need some cakes?" He replied: "I do." She thereupon offered him cakes, filling his bowl to the brim. Having received the cakes, the bhikkhu took them back to the monastery and called his fellow bhikkhus to eat together.

The bhikkhus asked: "Elder, these cakes are very delicious—where did you get them?" He replied: "I got them at the house of Lychee Pit." Upon hearing this, the bhikkhus went to that house, and they too received cakes as the first one had. In this way, one after another they kept coming to ask, until all the gifts and provisions intended for the bride's sendoff were exhausted. On the second and third days it was the same.

The husband sent someone again to urge them. The bride's family again said: "Please wait a few more days until the farewell gifts are complete." But day after day the bhikkhus kept coming and taking everything. Because the bride did not arrive at her husband's home on the appointed day, the husband became angry and said: "I have sent people to press them several times, and each time they say the gifts are not yet ready—surely they have had a change of heart," and he sent someone to seek another girl in marriage.

The mother of Lychee Pit, hearing that her daughter had been reproached, was deeply grieved and wept. The girl too was sorrowful and blamed her mother for not sending her off on time, which had caused her to be reproached. The neighbors, seeing this, asked: "Why are you in sorrow and weeping?" They then recounted all the events described above to the neighbors.

The neighbors also reproached her: "Why did you not first send your daughter off, and only then prepare other food and drink to give to the bhikkhus?" The bhikkhus, upon hearing of this, went and reported the matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha thereupon had those bhikkhus summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Did this thing truly happen?"

—It truly happened, Blessed One.

—From this day forward, I do not permit bhikkhus to accept food prepared for a bride's sendoff.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Rājagṛha, as described in detail above. At that time, there was a merchant in the city named Fearless who was about to set out on a long journey together with other merchants. At that time his wife was at home preparing provisions for the journey.

Then bhikkhus on their alms round came to that house; the wife saw them, gave rise to faith and joy, and asked: "Venerable Sir, do you need some noodles?" He replied: "I do." She thereupon cut a portion of the travel provisions and poured them into his bowl, offering it to the bhikkhu. Having received the food, the bhikkhu brought it back to the Veṇuvana Kalandaka monastery and called his fellow bhikkhus to eat together.

The bhikkhus asked: "Where did you get such delicious food?" He replied: "I got it at the house of such-and-such a merchant." Upon hearing this, the bhikkhus came one after another to that house to ask for travel provisions until everything was exhausted. In this way, provisions had to be prepared again on the second and third days. But then the bhikkhus took turns coming to ask until everything was gone again; so it was that by the fourth day, when the provisions were finally ready, he set out too late to catch up with his companions and was robbed by bandits, losing all his goods.

The merchant's wife, upon hearing this, was stricken with grief and wept. The neighbors asked: "Why do you weep and lament like this?" She then recounted all the events in full to the neighbors. The neighbors said: "Why did you not first prepare the provisions for the traveler and only afterward prepare other things to give to the bhikkhus?" The bhikkhus, upon hearing of this, went and reported all the events in full to the Blessed One.

The Buddha thereupon had those bhikkhus summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Did this thing truly happen?" They replied: "It truly happened." The Buddha reproached them: "This is a wrongful act. If the donor does not know how to set limits, the recipient must know how to exercise restraint!

This is not in accordance with the Dharma, not in accordance with the Vinaya; it contradicts my teaching and cannot be used to cultivate and grow wholesome qualities. From this day forward, I do not permit asking for travel provisions." Thereupon the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in Rājagṛha to assemble, and for ten benefits he laid down this rule for the bhikkhus—even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhu goes to the home of a layperson and they freely offer cakes and noodles, he may accept two or three bowls, then take them back to eat together with bhikkhus who are not ill. If he accepts more than that amount and takes them back without sharing them with bhikkhus who are not ill, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

Explanation

Bhikkhu: Whether one, two, or many persons.

Home of a layperson: Families of the Kṣatriya, Brāhmaṇa, Vaiśya, or Śūdra castes offering cakes or noodles.

Cakes: These are the various kinds of cakes made from barley, wheat, non-glutinous rice, beans, and so forth.

Noodles: These are the various kinds of noodles made from barley, wheat, non-glutinous rice, beans, and so forth.

Three bowls: The maximum permitted to be accepted is three bowls.

Carrying it away: Bringing it to whatever place one wishes.

Bhikkhu who is not ill: A bhikkhu who is physically able and capable of going to that house.

Eating together with bhikkhus who are not ill: The food brought back should be shared and eaten in common; if it is not eaten in common, a Pācittiya offense is committed.

Pācittiya: As described above.

There are also other cases: items intended for a sendoff, travel provisions, provisions not prepared for bhikkhus but prepared for a farewell sendoff, given generously.

Items intended for a sendoff: Such as the cakes prepared for the sendoff of Lychee Pit.

Travel provisions: Such as the case of the merchant Fearless.

Cakes and noodles: As described above.

Not for bhikkhus: Originally prepared for others as provisions for a farewell sendoff.

Given generously: Such as the manner of giving by the mother of Lychee Pit and the manner of giving by the wife of the merchant—in these cases the bhikkhu may accept three bowls, then take them away to eat together with bhikkhus who are not ill.

If a bhikkhu thinks: "Who has the energy to go to so much trouble?" and says to the female lay donor: "Fill one bowl and pour it into one dish, then fill another bowl and pour it into another dish." He then takes one bowl for himself and instructs the female householder: "If a bhikkhu comes, give him this one bowl. If another comes, give him the second bowl. After that, if anyone else comes, do not give to them. If you do give, you will gain little merit." The bhikkhu then departs with the food; if on the way he meets another bhikkhu, he should say: "At such-and-such a household there is food—you should go there and take your portion." If he meets a second bhikkhu, he should speak likewise.

There are also other cases: not cakes for a farewell sendoff, not travel provisions, prepared for bhikkhus, not provisions for a farewell sendoff, not given generously.

Not cakes for a bride's sendoff: Not like the case of Lychee Pit described above.

Not travel provisions: Not like the case of the merchant Fearless.

For bhikkhus: The food is prepared for bhikkhus, not for others.

Not provisions for a farewell sendoff: Apart from the two cases described above, if the food is prepared for other persons, it may be accepted; no offense is committed.

Not giving generously: One receives food according to what is offered and then takes it away. If the girl Haṭ Nhãn has already gone to her husband's home, and afterward her mother gives [food], then it is permissible to accept it without offense.

If the bride has already gone to her husband's home, and she then gives [food], it is permissible to accept it without offense.

If the merchant guest has already departed, and the wife afterward makes an offering, it is permissible to accept it without offense.

If the merchant has arrived at his destination and he then makes an offering, it is permissible to accept it without offense.

If a certain household is holding a feast on the occasion of giving a daughter in marriage or taking a wife for a son, or on festival days, and a bhikkhu goes to that house, and the host speaks as follows: "Venerable sir, even had I wished to send someone to invite you, I could not have been sure of success—how much more fortunate, then, that you have come here yourself." If this is the case, one may accept freely without offense.

Therefore it is said [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

MEANING VERIFIED BY: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH