Bu Pc 3838. Eating stored food

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Great Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on eating 38. Eating stored food

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa, Venerable Ānanda’s preceptor, was staying in the wilderness. After walking for alms, he brought plain cooked rice back to the monastery where he dried and stored it. Whenever he got hungry, he moistened and ate it. As a result, he only went the village for alms after a long time.

The monks asked him, “Why do you only go for alms after such a long time?” And he told them.

“But do you eat food that you’ve stored?”

“Yes.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How can Venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa eat food that he has stored?” … “Is it true, Belaṭṭhasīsa, that you do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked him … “Belaṭṭhasīsa, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk eats fresh or cooked food that he has stored, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case. That he has stored: received today and eaten on the following day. Fresh food: apart from the five cooked foods, the post-midday tonics, the seven-day tonics, and the lifetime tonics, the rest is called “fresh food”. Cooked food: there are five kinds of cooked food: cooked grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat.

If he receives fresh or cooked food with the intention of eating it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. For every mouthful swallowed, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it has been stored, and he perceives that it has, and he eats the fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it has been stored, but he is unsure of it, and he eats the fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it has been stored, but he does not perceive that it has, and he eats the fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he receives post-midday tonics, seven-day tonics, or lifetime tonics for the purpose of food, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. For every mouthful swallowed, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it has not been stored, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it has not been stored, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it has not been stored, and he does not perceive that it has, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he both stores and eats it during the right time; if he both stores and eats post-midday tonics during the remainder of the day; if he both stores and eats seven-day tonics during the seven-day period; if he uses lifetime tonics when there is a reason; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on eating stored food, the eighth, is finished.