Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pd 2Receiving a Nun’s Food

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– FOUR PĀṬIDESANĪYA RULES.

2. RULE: RECEIVING FOOD FROM A BHIKKHUNĪ.

When the Buddha was residing at Vesālī, as described in full above. Here the background story of Bhikkhunī Shrīmā is to be recalled up to the point where the Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "The foremost in merit among my Śrāvakā bhikkhunīs is Bhikkhunī Shrīmā. At that time a famine was raging and almsround was difficult. At the hour for almsround, Bhikkhunī Shrīmā put on her robe, took her bowl, and entered the city of Vesālī to collect alms in order. Suddenly she saw a bhikkhu and asked:

—Venerable Sir, have you received any food?

The bhikkhu then showed her his empty bowl. Seeing this, she thought: "This monk is a senior teacher of mine, yet he has received nothing on almsround." She then transferred the food from her own bowl into his. Having received food, that bhikkhu returned to the monastery and called the other bhikkhus to eat together.

The bhikkhus then asked:

—Elder, where did you obtain such fine food?

He replied:

—I received this food from Bhikkhunī Shrīmā.

Hearing this, each and every one of them went there to request food, one after another, until five hundred bhikkhus had all received food. After she had provided for all the bhikkhus, when she finally sought food for herself the sun had already passed noon, so she missed her meal and had no choice but to return to the monastery. The following morning, the bhikkhus again put on their robes, took their bowls, and stood outside the gate of the bhikkhunīs' monastery. When the bhikkhunīs saw this, one of them went inside and told Shrīmā:

—The bhikkhus are standing and waiting outside the gate today.

Upon hearing this, Shrīmā told her disciple:

—Bring my robe and bowl here so that I may dress and go on almsround to provide for those venerable ones.

She then went in order, providing for five hundred people before attending to herself, but by then it was already past noon, so she had to go hungry and return. On the third day it was the same; she provided in order for five hundred people, but there was still one person who had not yet received food. Therefore that bhikkhu followed behind Shrīmā into a certain house. Because she had gone without food for three consecutive days, her body had grown weak; she fainted and fell to the ground. At that moment the women of the household, seeing this, were frightened and moved to help her up, but she said:

—Wait, wait! Let me reflect on why I fell to the ground.

Then she recollected that it was because she had gone on almsround to provide for the venerable ones while she herself had not eaten, and so had grown weak and fainted. She then rose, brushed off the dust, straightened her robes, and reflected: "Giving has supreme benefit. Recollecting the act of giving causes joy to arise in the mind; because of joy, a pure samādhi is attained; using samādhi to contemplate and clearly see the arising and ceasing of the five skandhas—giving has the function of adorning one's own mind and subduing the faculties." By means of this she entered the vajra-samādhi, cut off all āsavas (defilements), and attained the three vijjās within the true Dharma.

After Bhikkhunī Shrīmā had attained realization, the woman of the household brought her inside, washed and bathed her, then spread a seat and invited her to sit, and then brought out food to offer. At that moment, the bhikkhu was still standing and waiting outside the door. The woman, fearing that he would again demand food, stood blocking the doorway.

Shrīmā, seeing the woman standing and blocking the door, became puzzled and did not understand why she was standing there, so she turned her head and looked out, and saw the corner of a bhikkhu's robe. She then said:

—That is my senior teacher; he has not received food on almsround.

And she invited:

—Please, Venerable Sir, come in and take some food.

The woman said:

—Please, Noble One, go ahead and eat. I will find other food to offer to that monk.

Shrīmā said:

—At this time of famine, where else is there food to be found?

She then brought out the food and offered it.

The woman reproached:

—The Samaṇas, sons of the Śākyas, have no compassion. How can they still follow someone and demand food when that person has gone without eating for three whole days and fainted from hunger, nearly losing her life?

The bhikkhus then brought this matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately ordered the bhikkhus to be summoned. When they had assembled, the Buddha asked again in full about the matter described above:

—Did this actually happen as reported?

—It did indeed, Blessed One.

—From now on, I do not permit a bhikkhu to receive food with his own hands from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative at the house of a layperson.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing at Vesālī, as described in full above. At that time, the Venerable Arittha's body was covered with sores and people found him repulsive, so they would not give him food. Each time he went on almsround, if he had not yet entered the door they would close it to keep him out, and if he had already entered they would drive him out and not give him anything. The Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened, for the sake of five benefits, would make a round of the bhikkhus' quarters once every five days. Seeing Arittha's body covered with sores, the Buddha already knew but still asked:

—Bhikkhu, are you in good health?

—Blessed One, I am troubled only by hunger and thirst.

—Bhikkhu, can you not go on almsround?

—Blessed One, I am able to go on almsround, but because my body is covered with sores and people find me repulsive, each time I go on almsround, if I have not yet entered the door they close it to keep me out, and if I have already entered they drive me out and will not give me anything.

—Why do you not go to Bhikkhunī Shrīmā's place to ask for food?

—Because the Blessed One has laid down the rule not allowing one to receive food with one's own hands from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative at the house of a layperson; and she is not a blood relative, so I did not dare to go.

—From now on, I permit a sick bhikkhu to go.

The Buddha then commanded all the bhikkhus residing in the city of Sāvatthī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits laid down this rule for bhikkhus—even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhu who is not ill receives food with his own hands from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative at the house of a layperson, and chews or eats it, that bhikkhu must go to another bhikkhu and confess his fault, saying: "Venerable Sir, I have committed a blameworthy offence; I confess it to you, the Venerable Sir." This is called Pāṭidesanīya.

EXPLANATION:

Not a blood relative: not one's own father, not one's own mother.

Ill: The Blessed One says there is no offence. But this does not refer to minor ailments; it refers to illnesses such as scabies, open sores, and ulcerations that cause people to feel repulsion. That is called illness.

At the house of a layperson: At the home of a worldly person.

Bhikkhunī: One who has received the full upasampadā ordination before both orders of the Saṅgha.

Receives with one's own hands: Either one hand receiving from another hand, or one bowl receiving from another bowl.

Chews: Such as eating various kinds of cakes, fruits, and so forth.

Food: The five kinds of principal food. (Having already received food,) this bhikkhu must go to another bhikkhu and confess: "Venerable Sir, I have committed a blameworthy offence; I confess it to you, the Venerable Sir." The bhikkhu receiving the confession should ask:

—Do you see the offence?

—Yes, I see it.

—Be careful not to commit it again.

—I bow my head and accept this admonition.

Pāṭidesanīya: As stated above.

If a bhikkhu who is not ill receives food with his own hands from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative at the house of a worldly person, he commits a Vītī offense at the moment of receiving and a confessable offense at the moment of eating.

If the person is not a blood relative and one thinks she is not a blood relative and receives the food, one commits a confessable offense.

If the person is not a blood relative and one is uncertain and receives the food, one commits a confessable offense.

If the person is not a blood relative and one thinks she is a blood relative and receives the food, one commits a Vītī offense.

If the person is a blood relative and one thinks she is not a blood relative and receives the food, one commits a Vītī offense.

If the person is a blood relative and one is uncertain and receives the food, one commits a Vītī offense.

If the person is a blood relative and one thinks she is a blood relative (and receives the food), there is no offence.

If one receives on behalf of another person, one commits a Vītī offense. However, if one receives on behalf of a sick person, there is no offence. Or if one eats the leftover food of a sick person, there is also no offence.

When a Śikṣamāṇā or a sāmaṇerī brings food, one should tell her to put it down on the ground, and then receive it from another person's hands—there is no offence.

If a bhikkhunī carries food herself and sets it down on the ground and says: "Please, Venerable Sir, receive it quickly," and then one receives it—there is no offence. Or if one receives food at the bhikkhunīs' residence, there is also no offence. 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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH