根本說一切有部尼陀那目得迦

Volume Ten

The Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī. Many merchants held a great assembly in a forest grove and invited the Buddha and the Saṅgha to come and receive offerings. They had laid out food in full before the great assembly. Suddenly they heard that the goods being carried by a chief merchant had caught fire. Upon hearing this, they hastily abandoned the meal there and ran back. The time for the meal had arrived, but there was no one to present the food. The bhikṣus thought to themselves: "What should be done about this?" The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Since the donors have given rise to the intention of completely abandoning (the offering meal), one should form the intention of taking and eating it oneself as if in Uttarakuru, and one need not give rise to doubt.

At that time a crow flew down beside the kitchen and pecked at and took some food. The bhikṣus, having doubts, did not dare to eat it, and reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Cut away the four sides where it was pecked, and there is no fault in eating it.

Before the bhikṣus could eat, the crow flew back and pecked at the food, and they, having doubts, did not dare to eat. They reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Cut away the four sides where it was pecked, and eating it is no offense.

The venerable Hīrabhadra entered the privy and saw flies eating impure substances, then flying back into the kitchen and soiling the food and drink. He said to the bhikṣus:

– I just saw these flies in the privy, and then they flew back and soiled the food.

When the bhikṣus heard this, none of them dared to eat. The Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

– As for the various kinds of flies, whether they alight in a proper place or an improper place, in neither case do they cause defilement; that food may be eaten.

A bhikṣu wished to dye a robe and saw in the dwelling a jar containing ghee-oil; thinking it was the dye-jar, he took it and carried it off. Afterward, upon examining it again, he realized it was a jar containing ghee-oil and so set it aside. The Buddha said:

– If one has carried it up to an upper story but has not yet gone halfway, one should bring it back down and set it safely on the ground. If one has gone more than halfway, one should bring it up and place it in a level spot.

Because he did not carefully examine the place where it was set down, the jar tilted and the oil spilled out. The Buddha said:

– One should use a support to prop it up, and not let it tilt and fall over.

The bhikṣus, having touched these things, had doubts and did not dare to eat. The Buddha said:

– That food is pure, so eat it.

– O bhikṣus! There are two kinds of food that, though touched, are still without fault:

1. Touched by one who has no sense of shame and conscience.

2. Touched unintentionally by one who has a sense of shame and conscience.

When one who has a sense of shame and conscience touches it unintentionally, in both cases it is pure and no offense.

At that time there were many bhikṣus traveling in the four directions to venerate the stūpas. There were brāhmaṇas and laypersons who entrusted to the bhikṣus paste-incense, powdered incense, incense for burning, flower garlands, and cloth, to be offered to the stūpas. The bhikṣus encountered external circumstances and so could not fulfill the wishes of those who had entrusted these. The bhikṣus thought to themselves: "How should these things be dealt with?" The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– There are four great stūpas that are fixed places:

1. The place where the Bodhisattva was born.

2. The place where the Bodhisattva attained perfect enlightenment.

3. The place where the Buddha turned the wheel of the Dharma.

4. The place where the Buddha entered Nirvāṇa.

If the original intention of the donor was to make offerings to other stūpas, but they are offered to these four stūpas, this does not go against the original wish. If, when offering to all four of these stūpas there is some hindering circumstance, then offering to one of the four is also permissible, for they are related to one another, and there is no need to offer elsewhere.

The venerable Upāli addressed the World-Honored One:

– Suppose two bhikṣus give rise to minds of resentment and use mutually contradictory words to slander one another. Of these two persons, who is to be trusted, and who is not to be trusted?

The Buddha said:

– Trust the one who keeps the precepts. If both keep the precepts, then trust the one who is learned. If both are learned, then trust the one who has few desires. If both have few desires, then trust the one who has very few desires and is content with what he has.

– If both have extremely few desires, then whom is one to trust?

The Buddha said:

– If there are two persons who are both of extremely few desires, and yet they give rise to minds of resentment and use mutually contradictory words to slander one another—such a thing does not happen.

Second verse.

One must not let a thief-dweller,

Nor a eunuch and the like,

Nor even one undergoing penance,

Distribute the lots and break the Saṅgha.

The venerable Upāli addressed the Buddha:

– If one takes a thief-dweller to be the one who distributes the lots, does this constitute breaking the Saṅgha?

The Buddha said:

– It does not!

– If one takes the five kinds of eunuchs, or even one dwelling apart, to be the one who distributes the lots, does this constitute breaking the Saṅgha?

The Buddha said:

– It does not!

– If one uses one who has committed the four grave offenses to distribute the lots, does this constitute breaking the Saṅgha?

The Buddha said:

– It does not!

– If one uses one undergoing penance training to distribute the lots, does this constitute breaking the Saṅgha?

The Buddha said:

– It does not.

Third verse.

Do not lie bare upon the non-robe;

Braving the rain, going into the kitchen;

For relief one should mend it;

And cover an old quilt for the servant.

The group of six bhikṣus lay sleeping naked upon the Saṅgha's blanket, flailing their arms and kicking their feet, ruining and tearing the blanket. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One must not lie sleeping naked upon the bedding of the Saṅgha. Lying and sleeping naked incurs an offense of wrongdoing. The Saṅgha's blanket should be wrapped with something else, or used as an under-robe; take care to examine it and use it gradually.

The group of six took the Saṅgha's bedding out to the walking path, and it was soaked and damaged by the rain. The bhikṣus reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One must not take the Saṅgha's outer robe out into the dew and wind, and walk about beneath the rain. Whoever uses it thus incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

Furthermore, the group of six took the Saṅgha's bedding into the kitchen, where the smoke smoked it and caused it damage. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One must not take the Saṅgha's bedding into the kitchen. Whoever uses it thus incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

The bhikṣus took the Saṅgha's bedding into the place of defecation and urination. A bhikṣu reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One must not take the Saṅgha's bedding into the room for defecation and urination. Whoever takes it in incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

The bhikṣus saw that the Saṅgha's blankets, quilts, and bedding were ruined, and together they took them and threw them away. A bhikṣu reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One must not throw them away. If a robe is torn with a long rent, one should take thread and sew it back together. If one sees a hole, then patch it; if the robe is old and worn, then sew it doubled over. If it is too old and worn, then use it for a lamp wick. Or chop it up finely and mix it with cow dung to make plaster for filling holes in pillars, or for plastering walls. When one uses it thus, it causes the things offered by the donor into the field of merit to increase in merit and virtue. If the three robes are ruined and worn, they too must be handled as above.

Fourth verse.

When a thing is designated as given to this place,

One must not eat it in another place;

If there is one who carries it away,

He must in full make compensation according to its value.

The Buddha was in the city of Śrāvastī. There was an elder who built a dwelling and provided it with utensils very fully.

At that time, the elder invited the bhikṣus to come and take up this dwelling. The bhikṣu who was master of the dwelling had many disciples in other places. Out of reverence, they came to their teacher's dwelling.

At that time, the bhikṣu master of the dwelling said to his disciples:

– An elder built a monastery and invited me to come and take up this dwelling. When you all have eaten, you should go.

The disciples said to their teacher:

– Upādhyāya! If there is food, let us carry it to where we are and eat together.

He answered:

– As you wish.

They then took the food, the lamp-oil, the leather shoes, robe-articles, the parasol, the firewood, the various medicines, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, and carried them all off. After a while, they transported the monastery's provisions until they were nearly all gone.

At that time the other bhikṣus who were dwelling in the monastery saw this, and they all went to the house of the donor who had built the monastery and said:

– Elder, do you know? The things you offered to the monastery are now being depleted.

The elder said:

– There are not many bhikṣus in the monastery, and yet the Saṅgha's provisions, used for no long time, are said to be already exhausted.

At that time the bhikṣus laid out the above matter again to the elder. The elder said:

– Surely I did not offer those provisions to bhikṣus outside the monastery?

The elder was very angry, and reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– A bhikṣu of another dwelling must not carry the food of this dwelling back to his own dwelling, nor must he take the things of this monastery to another place. As for food, lamps, oil, and so forth—if the original intention of the donor was to offer them to the people of this monastery, then they must not be given over to the people of another monastery. If they are given over for others to eat, one must reckon the value of the things and make it good.

Fifth verse.

The Saṅgha's robe is inscribed with the donor;

For another person's gift, mark it separately;

The blanket may be permitted to another person;

Under the nun, it should be repaired.

The Buddha was in the city of Śrāvastī. There were two brothers who went forth together. The bhikṣu in charge of affairs entrusted a Saṅgha robe to the elder brother bhikṣu and then went off elsewhere. Afterward the younger brother bhikṣu brought his own great robe over beside the elder brother bhikṣu, and set his own robe down beside the robe entrusted by the bhikṣu in charge of affairs. When he departed, he again mistakenly took the robe entrusted by the bhikṣu in charge of affairs to the elder brother bhikṣu. The bhikṣu in charge of affairs returned, saw that there was a different robe, and said to the elder brother bhikṣu:

– Venerable! The Saṅgha has gained much in beneficial goods.

He answered:

– It has nothing of the sort.

He asked:

– Whose robe-article is this?

He answered:

– It is the robe that you entrusted.

The one in charge of affairs said:

– My robe is large; this robe is small and narrow. Surely someone came here and carried off my robe. I must go and ask the one who came here.

This one went to where the younger brother bhikṣu was and saw that he had the Saṅgha's robe. He asked:

– Why did you do this?

He answered:

– I did not intentionally take the Saṅgha's robe and bring it here. If it is the Saṅgha's robe, venerable, just take it and carry it away.

The bhikṣus, having doubts, reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– The robes of the great assembly must be marked.

The bhikṣus did not know how to mark them. The Buddha said:

– If it is the property of the assembly, one must write clearly: "This is the robe of donor So-and-so." If it is the private robe of a single person, one should mark it with a separate mark.

At that time someone brought a multi-colored rug and a small mattress and offered them to the Saṅgha. The Buddha said:

– Both the great assembly and individuals are permitted to receive them.

Again someone brought a large bed with rounded, turned legs and offered it to the Saṅgha. The World-Honored One said:

– The Saṅgha may keep it; an individual may not.

As the World-Honored One has taught: - If a bhikṣuṇī, during the summer rains retreat, has a cause, she is permitted to travel about among people.

There were some who, in their own dwelling place, would not undertake repairs and led one another to abandon it, letting the dwelling fall to ruin. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– The dwelling place where bhikṣuṇīs keep the rains retreat must be repaired. If it is not repaired, it incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

Sixth verse.

If property comes by way of the deceased,

When it is sent forth, one should receive it;

When for the assembly one takes another's wealth,

Use the assembly's property to repay its value.

There was a person who passed away, and the relatives carried the body for funeral into the charnel-ground forest. The cloth banners they all brought back and offered to the Saṅgha; the bhikṣus did not dare to receive them and reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– These are things used for the funeral of the dead; you are permitted to receive them.

There was a person who was very poor and came to borrow these things. The Buddha said:

– If it is a poor person, then give them to him.

He, having a heart of compunction, brought them back to return them. The bhikṣus did not dare to receive them. The Buddha said:

– If he brings them to return them, one should receive them on his behalf.

There was a bhikṣu in charge of affairs who borrowed wealth and goods from a layperson to carry out work for the Saṅgha. Unfortunately, this one passed away. The creditor, hearing that this one had died, hastily came and asked the bhikṣus:

– Where is the bhikṣu So-and-so now?

They answered:

– He has died.

He said:

– That one borrowed much wealth and goods from me.

The bhikṣus said:

– You should go to the charnel-ground forest to demand it from that one.

That person said:

– That bhikṣu borrowed wealth and goods to carry out work for the assembly; it was not for his own self. You should settle that debt and repay it to me.

The bhikṣus reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– If it is known that the other bhikṣu borrowed wealth and goods for the affairs of the Saṅgha, one should take the Saṅgha's wealth and goods to settle and repay the debt borrowed previously. Now, I lay down the principle for the bhikṣus in charge of affairs and works:

– Whenever bhikṣus carry out works and affairs, they must first report to the elders in the monastery, and only then are they permitted to borrow from others, and they must draw up clear documents. Bhikṣus carrying out works who do not follow this regulation incur an offense of wrongdoing.

Seventh verse.

Sugar cane and the like, equal portions;

One must not divide by mouths to be filled;

The four requisites have a method of non-division;

Bedding is not distributed by night.

The Buddha was in the city of Śrāvastī. At that time they offered the assembly of monks a great deal of sugar cane. As the World-Honored One had taught: - The śrāmaṇeras may take a one-third portion.

At that time the bhikṣus divided the sugar cane, dividing one portion into three.

At that time the bhikṣus were sitting silently in the front row, and those who came to sit near the end of the row were close beside the World-Honored One. The venerable Rāhula was sitting at the end of the row, eating sugar cane and looking at the World-Honored One. The World-Honored One, seeing this, asked:

– Rāhula! Have you eaten sugar cane yet?

He answered:

– I have eaten.

He asked:

– Do you want to eat more?

He answered:

– I do.

He asked:

– How much was your portion?

He answered:

– I received a one-third portion.

The World-Honored One said:

– I based that on the matter of the beneficial portion of robes when I laid down such a regulation; it does not apply to matters of food and drink. From now on I lay down for the bhikṣus that, if there is a beneficial portion of food, down to even a small leaf, it must all be divided equally; if it is not divided equally, this incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

When much sugar cane was obtained, as the World-Honored One had taught the dividing of the beneficial food. A bhikṣu gave rise to doubt: when sugar cane was obtained with both root and tip, he did not dare to divide it.

The Buddha said:

– One should divide it as has been clearly stated above.

The circumstance and place are as before. A certain layperson built a dwelling. As for the bhikṣus dwelling in this dwelling, the matter of food and drink was all supplied by the donor.

At that time the bhikṣus discussed together:

– O venerable ones! We have no difficulty regarding food and drink, but robes and clothing are lacking. Here there is food readily available; let us take it and exchange it for robes and clothing to use, and let each one go on alms-round for himself to eat. After discussing this, not a single bhikṣu came to the donor's house to receive food. While a bhikṣu was going on alms-round, the donor saw him and asked:

– Noble one! I have made offerings of food daily for your sakes. For what reason must you go on alms-round and toil so?

The bhikṣu laid out the above matter to the donor. They said:

– Surely the great assembly does not divide up each person's portion of food among themselves?

They gave rise to minds of resentment and contempt. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– There are four kinds of things that must not be divided. What are the four?

1. The property of the Saṅgha of the four quarters.

2. The property of the stūpa (caitya).

3. Medicine kept in the infirmary of the Saṅgha for the sick.

4. A portion of food belonging to an individual.

Whoever divides these incurs an offense of wrongdoing.

At that time the group of six bhikṣus traveled about among people (refer again to the earlier case of dividing bedding at midnight).

Eighth verse.

Fruit given by a yakṣa;

Purify, knowing the region, and eat;

That which is left over may be made into drink;

Do not scorch the ground or the Saṅgha's stand.

At that time, the World-Honored One was in the country of Caraka, traveling about among people, and came to the village of Crimson Color (red). Right in this village, he rested for a while at the spirit-shrine of the Mighty Yakṣa. At that time, the Yakṣa came to where the Buddha was, prostrated himself touching the Buddha's two feet, and said:

– I earnestly hope that the World-Honored One and the assembly of monks will accept my humble little invitation to rest in this shrine for the night.

The World-Honored One accepted in silence. The Yakṣa, seeing that the World-Honored One had accepted, then magically manifested five hundred individual rooms with complete beds, blankets, cushions, pillows, and spread rugs, and so forth, and five hundred fire-stoves burning brilliantly without smoke.

At that time the spirit-Yakṣa first took the topmost room and presented it to the World-Honored One. After that he arranged one room for each bhikṣu. At that time the spirit-Yakṣa came to where the Buddha was and said as follows:

– I earnestly hope that the World-Honored One and the assembly of monks will tomorrow accept my humble little offering at this shrine.

The World-Honored One accepted in silence. This spirit-Yakṣa had an old close friend, a great Yakṣa named Bhadrika, in the country of Kaśmīra. The Yakṣa sent a messenger to tell his friend:

– I have invited the Buddha and the Saṅgha to hold an offering at my house tomorrow. There are very many fine fruits in the northern region; I earnestly hope you will gladly help so as to accomplish this meritorious work.

At that time, when that Yakṣa received such word, he then took grapes, pomegranates, sweet tangerines, sugar cane, walnuts, kharjūra-dates, and so forth, filling a large basket, and sent another Yakṣa to carry them to that shrine to make the offering.

At that time, seeing this, the bhikṣus addressed the Buddha:

– These fruits from the northern region—what should be done with them?

The Buddha said:

– Use fire to make them pure (kappiya), and then eat them.

At that time the bhikṣus made each fruit pure. The Buddha said:

– One should gather them together in one place. Making three or four places pure—eating is no offense.

– When the fruit was brought and they had eaten, there was a surplus left over.

The Buddha said:

– One should crush it to make a non-time drink and drink it as one wishes.

There was still more left over. The Buddha said:

– Boil it and pour it into a bottle, and drink it on another day.

In the cold month, the bhikṣus lit a fire upon a brick floor to warm themselves, ruining the bricks. The Buddha said:

– One must not light a fire upon a brick floor; one must lay down tiles.

It was still smoke-stained onto the floor. The Buddha said:

– One should light it outside the door.

The smoke blew in and stung the eyes. The Buddha said:

– Wait until the smoke is gone, sprinkle water to extinguish it, and bring it into the room.

At that time the Saṅgha was offered a single-tiered lamp-stand. The Buddha said:

– It may be received! An individual may also.

Again they were offered a two-tiered, three-tiered, many-tiered lamp. The Buddha said:

– It is permitted to keep it; an individual keeping it is no offense.

Ninth verse.

Guest and resident—doubts should be carefully examined;

Giving and receiving—clearly and fully;

The five openings should all be closed;

A short crossbar may follow the body.

At that time there were many guest bhikṣus who entered a monastery. The resident bhikṣus let them rest. They then committed theft and went off. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– The resident must be acquainted with them before he may let them rest. If beforehand he is not yet acquainted with them, then he should not let them stay and rest.

As the World-Honored One had taught: - Do not let those whom you are not yet acquainted with stay and rest.

At that time there was a bhikṣu who was acquainted, and he had been allowed to rest. Afterward there was a bhikṣu who was not acquainted who arrived suddenly. The bhikṣu who had arrived first had business and had to go outside, and the bhikṣu who arrived afterward stole the robe and bowl.

The resident bhikṣu supposed that this was a friend of the earlier bhikṣu, and so did not stop him; that one took the bowl and had already run far away. The bhikṣu who had arrived first returned to his room and, seeing that the robe and bowl were not there, asked the monastery-master:

– Who took my robe and bowl?

He answered:

– Your friend has carried the robe and bowl away.

He said:

– What friend did I have who came with me?

The monastery-master:

– Then the person who followed you here was not your friend?

He answered:

– You have lost my robe; quickly make it good.

That one, having lost his robe, had to suffer want. The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– When the monastery-master sees a guest arrive, he must first ask: - Is he your friend? If he takes your robe and bowl, should it be given to him? If this one says not to give it, but he of his own will takes it and gives it, then he must make compensation. If this one says to give it, then if it is lost, he bears it himself.

Again there was a guest bhikṣu who arrived, and the monastery-master had led him off to rest. Afterward there was again an acquainted bhikṣu who arrived. At that time the monastery-master was busy brushing his teeth. The bhikṣu who arrived afterward stole the new robe and bowl (of the monastery-master). The guest bhikṣu (who had arrived first) thought to himself: "This one is surely a roommate of the monastery-master," and so did not guard against him, and they were stolen and lost. After a while the monastery-master returned to his room, saw that the robe and bowl were lost, and asked the guest bhikṣu:

– Who took my robe and bowl?

The guest who had arrived first answered:

– The person inside the room took them away.

The monastery-master said:

– Where would there be a resident person inside the room? You have lost my robe; quickly make compensation.

That person, having lost his robe, lost the bond of acquaintance as well.

At that time the bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Whenever a guest bhikṣu enters another's room, he should ask the host: - If someone comes here to take a robe and bowl, should it be given or not? If they say not to give it, but he still gives it, then he must compensate according to the value. If they say to give it, then he need not compensate.

There was a guest bhikṣu who entrusted his robe to a resident bhikṣu; this one had business and had to go, and said to the resident:

– If a junior bhikṣu comes, you should give the robe to him.

Not long afterward a junior bhikṣu arrived, and the resident gave the guest bhikṣu's robe to the junior bhikṣu. The junior bhikṣu took it and went off for good.

They reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– If the guest bhikṣu has instructed to give it to a certain person, then even if that person steals it, there is no need to compensate. But one must verify clearly and only then give it.

It happened that they let the instruction be disclosed, and another person, hearing it, came and lied and deceived in order to obtain the robe-article. Thereby the property was lost.

The Buddha said:

– One should give the instruction to one another in a convenient place, stating clearly the present condition of the entrusted property. Only then should one give the robe.

At that time there was a bhikṣu who went along the road to the riverbank, about to board a boat and depart, and said to his companion: - Hand the robe-bag over here. The other handed it across. The one handing and the one receiving were not careful, and the robe fell into the water.

The bhikṣu said:

– Make good the robe-bag for me.

The other would not.

The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– Until they have taken hold of it, one must not let go. If one lets go before they have grasped it, then one must make compensation.

There was a person who handed a robe and bowl to another; the other did not catch it in time, and the robe fell into the water. The one who lost the robe and bowl pursued the other for it. A bhikṣu reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– If they have not yet grasped it, one must not let it go. If one intentionally lets it go, one must make compensation.

The keeper of the monastery had goods stolen by robbers and thieves. The great assembly discussed together:

– Compel the monastery-keeper to compensate for the amount of wealth and goods that were lost.

The bhikṣus reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said: - You should know this: When one instructs another to close the gate of the monastery, there are five different matters: calling to one another above and below, locking the door, securing the gate-lock, securing the door-lock, and fastening the bolt. If one does not lock it and lets a thief enter and take things, then on the basis of the actual value, he must compensate. If one part is lacking, then he compensates one part. If he does nothing at all, then he compensates the whole. If the monastery-keeper had the intention of attending to these five matters without any lacking, then even if there is a theft of wealth and goods, he need not compensate.

The venerable Upāli addressed the Buddha:

– The World-Honored One has taught: - The bhikṣus must use the length of the forearm (cubit) as the basis for sewing robes and clothing.

– Suppose there is a person whose body is large but whose forearm is short—should one use the forearm as the basis for making the robe?

The Buddha said:

– One should use the measurements of the body as the basis, not rely on the forearm.

Tenth verse.

The skirt and the saṃkakṣikā;

Fragrant mud soiling the robe—wash it;

Hand-food, removing the larger part;

One must know the ten kinds of dust.

A bhikṣu's inner robe was stained with oil and grime and gave off a foul odor. They reported this matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

– One should keep an additional (auxiliary robe).

The saṃkakṣikā (the undergarment) was too dirty and soiled even the great robe. The Buddha said:

– One should keep an additional undergarment.

A bhikṣu who held an offering assembly had his robes and clothing spoiled, soaked through by fragrant oil, powdered incense, and lamp-oil. The Buddha said:

– If powdered incense gets on it, then one must shake the robe clean and then wear it. Fragrant oil must be washed clean and then worn. Oil that soils it must be cleansed thoroughly with the water of soap-beans and lye-ash, and then worn.

A bhikṣu was eating, and food not yet formally received fell to the ground; he wished to receive it, but there was no one to serve the food. The Buddha said:

– One should pick it up oneself, discard the larger part, and only then may eat it.

Food fell into the broth or into a separate sauce. The Buddha said:

– One should scoop out the portion on the side that is greater, and eat the portion that remains.

At that time the bhikṣus were standing in line going on alms-round, when suddenly wind, rain, and dust fell into the bowl, and they, having doubts, did not dare to eat. There were cases where dust fell into the bowl even while eating. The Buddha said:

– O bhikṣus, there are five kinds of dust:

1. Touch-dust.

2. Non-touch-dust.

3. Pure dust.

4. Impure dust.

5. Subtle dust.

When touch-dust comes and falls upon a robe, it must be washed clean. When it falls into the bowl, it must be scooped out and discarded, and then one eats. Again there are five kinds of dust:

1. Food-dust.

2. Drink-dust.

3. Robe-dust.

4. Flower-dust.

5. Fruit-dust.

For these kinds of dust, if they can be seen by the eye, then one removes them and only then eats. If they cannot be seen, then one eats as one wishes.

THE MŪLASARVĀSTIVĀDA

VINAYA

END OF THE MĀTṚKĀ SECTION

– End of Volume 10 -

(complete set)