Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 81Visiting Families Before a Meal

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

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

81. RULE: GOING AT AN IMPROPER TIME WITHOUT INFORMING OTHERS.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the Venerable Upananda rose early in the morning, put on his robe, and went into the village. He arrived at a donor's house and said to the upāsikā: "When ordinary people die, most of them fall into the evil realms. You should listen to me expound the Dharma."

At that time, the upāsikā was occupied with household affairs and too busy to listen to the Dharma, so she reproached the bhikkhu: "Enough! Do not worry about ordinary people falling into the evil realms when they die—worry about yourself, and do not concern yourself with others." After the meal was finished, he then instructed his attendant to prepare the robe and bowl and returned to that house, saying as before: "Upāsikā, when ordinary people die they will fall into the evil realms; you should listen to me expound the Dharma."

At that time, the upāsikā had just finished serving her husband and children their meal and was eating herself, too busy to listen to the Dharma, and so she reproached the bhikkhu: "Enough! Do not worry about ordinary people falling into the evil realms after death—concern yourself with your own affairs and do not meddle in the affairs of others." The bhikkhus heard of this and reported the matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha then ordered Upananda to be summoned. When he had come, the Buddha questioned him regarding the events described above:

—Did you truly act in this manner?

—It is exactly so, Blessed One.

—Bhikkhu, what then were you doing going out after the meal?

—There are many things, Blessed One. I wished to act as a physician and treat various ailments.

—Why is it that, both before and after the meal, you went to lay people's homes without informing the bhikkhus who were eating together with you? Henceforth, I do not permit a bhikkhu to go to lay people's homes before or after a meal without first informing the bhikkhus who are eating together with him.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time the Buddha said to Ānanda: "Inform the bhikkhus that when the rains retreat is concluded, the donors will offer rains-retreat robes." Ānanda thereupon notified the bhikkhus.

The bhikkhus said: "The Blessed One has established a rule not permitting a bhikkhu to go to lay people's homes before or after a meal without informing the bhikkhus eating together with him. We eat together and live together with our fellow practitioners in the holy life, and out of mutual respect we do not dare to do this regularly without informing them." Ānanda then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha instructed: "Henceforth, I permit this during the time of acquiring robes, without the need for notification." The Buddha then commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in Śrāvastī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he established the rule for the bhikkhus—even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu, eating at a communal meal, goes to another's home before or after the meal without informing another bhikkhu—except in special circumstances—he commits a pācittiya offence. The special circumstance is during the time of acquiring robes; that is called the special circumstance."

Explanation

Communal meal: Whether it is four measures of rice cooked as food, or eight measures of parched grain, or one peck and two measures of barley rice, or half a bowl or a full bowl of fish and meat—this is called eating communally.

Before the meal: When one has not yet eaten.

After the meal: When the meal is finished; even if it is still early in the day, it is still called after the meal.

Going to another's home: Such as the home of a Kṣatriya, the home of a Brahmin, the home of a Vaiśya, the home of a Śūdra.

Informing: If one informs that one is going into the village at an improper time, informs at a bhikkhunī monastery, or informs while departing from a Dharma teaching, this does not count as proper notification. Rather, one must say: "Please, Elder, take note—I, so-and-so, must urgently leave this communal eating place and go to another house." The other replies: "Very well."

Except in special circumstances: That is, the time which the Blessed One declares to be without offence.

Special circumstance: The time of acquiring robes. If the Kaṭhina robe is not received, this period is one month; if the Kaṭhina robe is received, it is five months. During this robe period, five matters are exempted: 1. One may eat separately from the community; 2. One may eat in multiple places; 3. One may leave one's dwelling without notifying others; 4. One may keep extra robes for an extended period; 5. One may sleep apart from one's robe without incurring an offence.

Pācittiya: As explained above.

If a bhikkhu leaves a communal eating arrangement to go to another's home, he must give notification before going; if he goes without notifying, he commits a pācittiya offence. If he eats elsewhere and receives all five kinds of staple food and all five kinds of non-staple food, he commits two pācittiya offences. However, if one encounters the two circumstances of a food-offering occasion or the robe-acquiring period, then going to eat elsewhere without notifying those at the communal meal incurs no offence.

If a bhikkhu's dwelling has no cooking done there, but someone invites him to a meal, that place is called a communal eating place. If from there he wishes to go elsewhere, he must give notification before going; if he goes without notifying, it is as stated above.

If a bhikkhu has already accepted an invitation from within the village, that place is called a communal eating place. If while there he sees that it is still early and wishes to go away briefly and return, he must give notification before going; if he goes without notifying, it is as stated above.

If in the village a donor invites the Saṅgha for a meal offering, and a bhikkhu passes by that house, and the donor invites him: "Venerable Sir, today our house is offering a meal to the Saṅgha; please, Venerable Sir, remain and partake of the meal as well"—if this bhikkhu accepts the invitation, that constitutes a communal meal. If he sees that it is still early and wishes to go elsewhere, he must give notification before going; if he goes without notifying, he commits a pācittiya offence. The rest is as stated above.

If a donor invites the Saṅgha for a meal offering and a bhikkhu on alms-round passes by that house, and the donor invites him: "Today I have invited the Saṅgha for a meal; please, Venerable Sir, accept my invitation as well"—if the bhikkhu accepts the invitation, that place thus becomes a communal eating place. If the bhikkhu then suddenly reflects: "The generosity of this donor is very great; I cannot properly digest this generous offering—it would be better for me to go beg alms elsewhere to simply sustain my body," and he wishes to leave, he must give notification; if he goes without notifying, he commits a pācittiya offence. The rest is as stated above.

If two bhikkhus each have a place to eat and are walking together on the road to a village, and they discuss between themselves: "Today, let us eat first at one house, and then afterwards eat the subsequent meal together at another house"—then each bhikkhu should give notification before going; if one goes without notifying, he commits a pācittiya offence. If upon arriving at the first house to eat there are both all five staple foods and all five non-staple foods, he commits two pācittiya offences. If one leaves the communal eating arrangement and eats here and there, and it happens to coincide with a food-offering occasion or the robe period, then in both those cases there is no offence. The same applies to the second bhikkhu.

If a bhikkhu on alms-round receives one measure, two measures, or up to a bushel at one house, he may accept it without offence. But if from a single house he receives four measures of ordinary rice, or eight measures of parched grain, one or two measures of barley, or half a bowl or a full bowl of fish and meat, he may not go to beg further at another place. In this matter, what constitutes an offence and what does not?

That is: all types of gruel—except fish-and-meat gruel—and gruel that, when ladled out of the pot, if one writes on its surface no characters are formed (that is, thin liquid gruel); all kinds of cakes; all kinds of parched grain; all kinds of fruit—none of these count as eating separately from the community, nor as eating again after having eaten, nor as eating more after being full. Therefore it is stated as above.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH