Lzh Mg Bu Vb Sk 24Receiving Respectfully

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– CLARIFYING THE FIRST PART OF THE SEKHIYA RULES:

– CLARIFYING THE REMAINING PART OF THE SEKHIYA RULES.

24. "One should train: To receive food with attentiveness."

When eating with attentiveness, one must not press the bowl down with both hands placed upon the feet. One must first wash the hands clean, then wipe the bowl, and when food is brought, one should receive it with mindfulness. If one is the duty monk for the month overseeing meals and must arrive last, one may request water for washing the hands and washing the bowl; there is no offense. If one allows the faculties to wander and receives food without attentiveness, this constitutes disregarding a rule of training. Excepting cases where the mind is deranged, there is no offense. Therefore it is said:

"One should train: To receive food with attentiveness."

When the Buddha was residing at the city of Sāvatthī, as elaborated above. At that time a householder came to the monastery to offer a meal, and the group of six monks first received much soup and only afterward received rice, causing their bowls to overflow and the soup to spill onto the ground. The donor then reproved them: "I took the food away from my wife and children to offer to the Sangha, hoping the Sangha would use it all, yet now it has been thrown upon the ground. Do the Venerable Ones not know that within a single grain of rice there lie hundreds of labors?"

The monks then brought this matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately ordered the group of six monks to be summoned. When they arrived, the Buddha asked:

"Did this matter truly occur?"

"It truly occurred thus, Blessed One."

"From now on, rice and soup must be received in equal measure."

Thereupon, the Buddha commanded all the monks dwelling at the city of Sāvatthī to assemble, and for ten benefits proclaimed the precept for the monks; even those who had already heard it were to hear it again:

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

VERIFICATION OF MEANING: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH