Cullavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 5

1. Now at that time the mangoes were ripe in the park of Seniya Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha. And Seniya Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, had given command, saying,' Let the venerable ones have as much fruit as they like.' Then the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus plucked even the young fruits and ate them.

Now Seniya Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, wanted a mango; and he gave orders, saying, 'Go, my good men, to the park, and bring me hither a mango.'

'Even so, Lord,' said the men in assent to Seniya Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha and they went to the park, and said to the park-keepers, 'Our lord, good friends, has need of a mango. Give us one!'

'There are no mangoes, Sirs. The Bhikkhus have plucked even the young ones, and eaten them.'

Then those men told the matter to Seniya Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, and he said: 'The mangoes have been well used, my good men, by the venerable ones. Notwithstanding it is moderation that has been exalted by the Blessed One.'

The people murmured, were shocked, and were indignant, &c., saying, 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas, knowing no moderation, use up the king's mangoes?' The Bhikkhus heard those men murmuring, shocked, and indignant. Then those Bhikkhus told this matter to the Blessed One.

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to eat mangoes. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa.'

2. Now at that time it was the turn of a certain multitude to provide the Saṃgha with a meal. Mango-peal was put into the curry. The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not partake of it.

'Take it, O Bhikkhus, and eat. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to eat the peal of the mango.'

Now at that time it was the turn of a certain multitude to provide the Saṃgha with a meal. They did not get so far as to make (curry with) the peal, but went about in the dining-hall with whole mangoes. The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not accept them.

'Take them, O Bhikkhus, and eat. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to eat fruit which has become allowable to Samaṇas in any one of these five ways—when it has been injured by fire^[1]—or by sword^[2]—or by nails—when it has not yet had any seed in it—and fifthly, when it has no more seed in it^[3]. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to eat fruit which has become allowable to Samaṇas in any one of these five ways.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Buddhaghosa gives in the Samanta Pāsādikā on the 11th Pācittiya the following explanations of these terms. Aggi-parigitan ti agginā parijitaṃ abhibhūtaṃ daḍḍhaṃ phuṭṭhan ti attho. The reading parijitaṃ is correct and should be inserted in the text for paricitaṃ.

[2]:

Sattha-parijitan ti satthena parijitaṃ abhibhūtaṃ chinnaṃ viddhaṃ vā ti attho. Esa nayo nakha-parijite (B., loc. cit.).

[3]:

These last two clauses have already occurred at Mahāvagga VI, 21. The principle of the injunction throughout its five divisions is one and the same--the seed, or the capacity of fructification, must either have never existed, or have passed away, or have been destroyed.