Meal Invitations

It is traditional for lay devotees on special occasions to invite bhikkhus to go and have a meal at their house. This is normally a very straightforward matter and the bhikkhu(s) will explain if they are able to go on that particular day. To show some aspects from the Buddhas time, there are these rules:

The origin of this first rule displays the care that a bhikkhu should take when accepting such an invitation.

A poor workman was inspired to invite the Buddha and all the bhikkhus of the town for a meal, and he insisted they still come even when the Buddha cautioned him about the large number of monks involved. Some bhikkhus assumed that he would not be able to afford very much food so they first went on an alms round and ate beforehand. Therefore when they came to go for the poor mans meal they could not eat very much — even though there was in fact plenty of food because other people had helped to support the poor workmans faith by sending round donations of food. The poor workman became upset saying, "How can you eat elsewhere... am I not competent to give sufficient?"

The rule is summarized:

"Eating a meal^[1] before going to another meal to which one was invited, or accepting an invitation to one meal and eating elsewhere instead, is [an offence of Confession] except when one is ill or at the time of giving cloth or making robes."

(Paac. 33; BMC p.352)

Should a bhikkhu seem somewhat reluctant to accept your invitation, be aware that he may not be able to change his acceptance of a previous invitation. There is, however, an allowance for the bhikkhu to share or transfer his invitation to another bhikkhu or novice so that he can accept a new one. Even so, it is considered good manners first to contact the original donors about this.

Another, rather obscure, rule about meal invitations originated like this:

Ven. Devadatta attempted to take over the Sa"ngha and then tried to kill the Buddha. The Sa"ngha informed the local inhabitants about Ven. Devadattas behavior so that it would not reflect on the Sa"ngha as a whole. Ven. Devadatta then found alms so difficult to obtain that he solicited alms — "having asked and asked" — (for all his group) and the lay people criticized them for such unseemly conduct.

It seems that this rather enigmatic rule may forbid bhikkhus from accepting an invitation to a group meal of four or more specified monks at a donors house when the whole local community is not invited — as would have been more normal in the Buddhas days. This would then have avoided the forming of cliques inside a community. (See BMC p.342-348)

The Buddha therefore laid down that:

"Eating a meal to which four or more individual bhikkhus have been specifically invited — except on special occasions — is [an offence of Confession.]"

(Summary Paac. 32; BMC p.348)

Another interpretation of this obscure rule requires that bhikkhus

"... do not accept the invitations of those who mention the names of the foods to be offered. The inviter who understands this, makes invitation just in this way: "I invite you to receive alms food," or, "I invite you to take breakfast... or lunch." By speaking in this way it is possible for bhikkhus to accept."

(Paat. 1969 Ed.; p161)

If the community lives by this second interpretation, one should be careful when inviting bhikkhus for a meal not to mention the specific food that one intends to offer.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A Snack (of non staple food) is not included in this rule, however the bhikkhu should not overeat so that it spoils his appetite. Also the original donor may provide the pre meal snack or give permission to eat breakfast beforehand.