Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pd 4Receiving Food From Designated Families

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– FOUR PĀṬIDESANĪYA RULES.

4. RULE: RECEIVING FOOD FROM A DESIGNATED FAMILY.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. Here the circumstances concerning the minister Viśākha are set forth in full, up to the point of the Seniya-Kṣatriya; then the Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "The minister Viśākha has given in excess to the point that his wealth is exhausted. The Saṅgha should perform the kammavācā of the designated family for him." This kammavācā should be spoken as follows:

"May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The minister Viśākha has given in excess to the point that his wealth is exhausted. If it is the right time for the Saṅgha, let the Saṅgha perform the kammavācā of the designated family for the minister Viśākha. This is the motion.

May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The minister Viśākha has given in excess to the point that his wealth is exhausted. The Saṅgha now performs the kammavācā of the designated family for the minister Viśākha. Those venerable ones who consent to performing the kammavācā of the designated family for the minister Viśākha, let them be silent; those who do not consent, let them speak. This is the first recitation of the kammavācā. (The second and third recitations are the same.)

The Saṅgha has completed the kammavācā of the designated family for the minister Viśākha, for the Saṅgha was silent. I record it thus."

After the minister Viśākha returned from the Seniya-Kṣatriya, exhausted, his body covered with dust, he asked those in his household: "Do the masters come regularly?" The household replied: "They do come, but whenever something is offered they do not accept it." Upon hearing this, Viśākha was displeased. Without even stopping to bathe, he went immediately to the Blessed One, bowed his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, and stood to one side, and said to the Buddha:

—Blessed One, why do the bhikkhus not accept offerings from my household?

—Because you gave in excess until your wealth was exhausted, the Tathāgata, wishing to benefit you, performed the kammavācā of the designated family in regard to you. For this reason the bhikkhus do not accept offerings from you.

—Blessed One, today my household's wealth is three times what it was before. I respectfully request that the Blessed One henceforth permit the bhikkhus to accept offerings from my household.

—Today is the fifteenth day. Return home, bathe, put on fresh and clean garments, and then come together with your relatives to request the Saṅgha to rejoice in your wish.

After Viśākha complied with this instruction and departed, the Buddha then said to the bhikkhus: "Previously, because Viśākha had given in excess, wishing to benefit him, the Saṅgha performed the kammavācā of the designated family in regard to him. Now Viśākha himself has come to say that his household's wealth is three times what it was before, and he wishes to request that the Saṅgha lift the kammavācā of the designated family. The Saṅgha should therefore lift it for him."

Viśākha returned home, bathed, changed into fresh garments, and then came together with his relatives to the Saṅgha, and presented the matter in full. At this time, the Saṅgha, wishing to lift the kammavācā of the designated family, should perform a kammavācā of invitation, spoken as follows:

"May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The minister Viśākha gave in excess to the point that his wealth was exhausted. Wishing to benefit him, the Saṅgha performed the kammavācā of the designated family in regard to him. But now his estate is prosperous. If it is the right time for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha permit the minister Viśākha to come before the Saṅgha and request the lifting of the kammavācā of the designated family.

May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The minister Viśākha requests the lifting of the kammavācā of the designated family. The Saṅgha has consented and therefore is silent. I record it thus."

At that time, the minister Viśākha must come before the Saṅgha, bow his head at the feet of the members, kneel, join his palms, and speak as follows:

"May the venerable Saṅgha listen. I, Viśākha, was formerly wealthy and later became poor. The Saṅgha, out of compassion, granted me the kammavācā of the designated family. Now my household's wealth is three times what it was before, and so I come to request that the Saṅgha lift the kammavācā of the designated family. I respectfully ask the Saṅgha to lift the kammavācā of the designated family for me." (This request is made three times in this manner.)

At that point, Viśākha must be led out to stand where he can be seen but not heard, and then the one performing the kammavācā recites:

"May the venerable Saṅgha listen. This minister Viśākha, having given in excess to the point that his wealth was exhausted, was granted by the Saṅgha, out of a wish to benefit him, the kammavācā of the designated family. Now he himself has come to say that his estate is now three times more prosperous than before, and he requests that the Saṅgha lift the kammavācā of the designated family. If it is the right time for the Saṅgha, let the Saṅgha now lift the kammavācā of the designated family for Viśākha. This is the motion.

May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The minister Viśākha gave in excess to the point that his wealth was exhausted. Wishing to benefit him, the Saṅgha performed the kammavācā of the designated family in regard to him. Now Viśākha himself says that his estate has become three times more prosperous than before, and he has requested that the Saṅgha lift the kammavācā of the designated family. The Saṅgha now lifts the kammavācā of the designated family for Viśākha. Those venerable ones who consent to the Saṅgha's lifting of the kammavācā of the designated family for Viśākha, let them be silent; those who do not consent, let them speak. This is the first kammavācā. (The second and third recitations are stated in the same manner.)

The Saṅgha has completed the lifting of the kammavācā of the designated family for Viśākha, for the Saṅgha was silent. I record it thus."

This matter of lifting the kammavācā of the designated family must be done in the presence of the Saṅgha assembly, and not merely in the presence of a smaller group. (That is to say, it is not a matter to be conducted merely between teacher and student.)

Thereupon the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble, and for ten reasons laid down a rule for the bhikkhus, which all must hear even if they have already heard it:

—If a bhikkhu, without having been previously invited, goes to a family in regard to which the Saṅgha has performed the kammavācā of the designated family, and with his own hand accepts food, chews it, or eats it, that bhikkhu must go to another bhikkhu and confess his fault, saying: "Venerable Elder, I have committed an offense worthy of censure." This act of confession is the pāṭidesanīya rule.

EXPLANATION:

Designated family: A family in which both husband and wife have each attained one of the three fruits: Srotāpatti, Sakṛdāgāmin, or Anāgāmin.

Family: A family of the four castes: Kṣatriya, Brāhmaṇa, Vaiśya, and Śūdra.

A bhikkhu not previously invited: One who was not invited beforehand by the donor, yet thought he had been invited, or one who thought that an invitation given to another was directed to himself, and then went to their home, garden, or field.

Receiving with one's own hand: Receiving directly from hand to hand or from bowl to bowl.

Chewing: Eating various kinds of cakes, fruits, and so forth.

Food: The five kinds of principal food. If a bhikkhu receives any of the five kinds of principal food, he must go to another bhikkhu and confess as follows: "Venerable Elder, I have committed an offense worthy of censure. I confess this fault before the Elder." The one who receives the confession should ask:

—Do you yourself see this offense?

—I do see it.

—Do not commit it again.

—I respectfully accept this.

Pāṭidesanīya: As stated above.

If the Saṅgha has performed the kammavācā of the designated family in regard to any household, one must not utterly avoid going there, as a crow avoids an arrow, but should visit from time to time, teach the Dharma, and discuss its meaning. If that family wishes to make an offering, one should tell them: "Leave it for now; I will know the right occasion." If they had previously invited the Saṅgha before the kammavācā was performed, then one should not accept articles of great value, but may accept those of modest value.

If that family asks: "Why does the Venerable One not accept this offering? Does the Master think that I am poor?"—then one should reply: "You are not poor. As the Blessed One has taught, one who has attained the fruit of Srotāpatti is accomplished in four qualities and is the wealthiest among the Śrāvakas.

Those four qualities are:

1. Having unshakeable faith in the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One—faith that cannot be destroyed by śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, devas, or humans.

2. Having unshakeable faith in the true Dharma.

3. Having unshakeable faith in the Saṅgha.

4. Having unshakeable faith in the noble precepts—faith that cannot be destroyed by śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, devas, or humans.

Those who are accomplished in these four qualities are not poor but are the wealthiest among the Śrāvakas of the Tathāgata."

If one goes to a certain monastery and happens to arrive when a meal offering and non-timely drinks are being presented to the Saṅgha, one should not simply leave but should help spread out the mats and bedding, arrange the offerings, and then partake of the meal together. After the meal, one should teach the Dharma for the benefit of those present. Therefore it is said:

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH