Monks’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 38

^{Bu-Pc.38.1.1 BD.2.338} … at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa,^[1] the preceptor of the venerable Ānanda, was staying in the jungle. He, having walked for alms-food, having conveyed boiled rice^[2] to the monastery, having had it dried, laid it aside; when he came to need it for food, then moistening it with water, he ate it; after a long time he entered the village for alms-food. Monks spoke thus to the venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa: “How is it that you, your reverence, after a long time enter the village for alms-food?” Then the venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa told this matter to the monks. They said:

“But do you, your reverence, eat a meal that was stored^[3]?”

“Yes, your reverences.” Those who were modest monks …

“Is it true, as is said, that you, Belaṭṭhasīsa, ate a meal that was stored?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked him, saying:

“How can you, Belaṭṭhasīsa, eat a meal that was stored? It is not, Belaṭṭhasīsa, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth: ^Vin.4.87

“Whatever monk should eat or partake of solid food ^BD.2.339 or soft food that was stored,^[4] there is an offence of expiation.”

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^Bu-Pc.38.2.1 Whatever means: … is monk to be understood in this case.

Stored means: accepted today, it becomes eaten the next day.

Solid food means: … soft food means: … meat. If he accepts it, saying, “I will eat, I will partake of,” there is an offence of wrong-doing. For every mouthful there is an offence of expiation.

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^Bu-Pc.38.2.2 If he thinks that it is stored when it is stored (and) eats or partakes of solid food or soft food, there is an offence of expiation. If he is in doubt as to whether it is stored … If he thinks that it is not stored when it is stored … expiation. If he accepts for the sake of nutriment food (to be eaten) during a watch of the night, during seven days, during life, there is an offence of wrong-doing. For every mouthful there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it is stored when it is not stored, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he is in doubt as to whether it is not stored, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it is not stored when it is not stored, there is no offence.

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^Bu-Pc.38.2.3 There is no offence if, having stored^[5] (food) for the time being,^[6] he eats it in that time; if, having stored (food to be eaten) during a watch of the night, he eats ^BD.2.340 it in a watch of the night^[7]; if, having stored (food) to be eaten during seven days, he eats it in seven days; if, when there is a reason, he uses (food to be eaten) during life^[8]; if he is mad; if he is the first wrong-doer.

The Eighth

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vin-a.838 says he was the prominent great thera of the thousand jaṭilas, or matted hair ascetics. His verses given at Thag.16. In Commentary, on this (see Psalms of the Bretheren, p.21) it is said that with these ascetics he was tamed by Gotama, and attained arahanship after the Utterance on Burning (Vin.1.35). He suffered from eczema, Vin.1.202, Vin.1.295.

[2]:

sukkhakūra; Vin-a.838 calls it asūpabyañjana odana, boiled rice without the curry and sauce.

[3]:

sannidhikāraka bhojana.

[4]:

Cf. rules against storing up medicines for more than seven days at Vin.1.209, Vin.3.251. It is said that an arahan cannot become one to use for sensual pleasure what is stored up, DN.iii.235 = MN.i.523 = AN.iv.370. Cf. also sannidhikāra at DN.i.6.
In the Cūḷavagga account of the Council of Vesālī, Vin.2.294ff., it is called not allowable to carry about salt in a horn, so as to put salt on to what is not salted (Vin.2.300), as by so doing the “sannidhikārakabhojana pācittiya” would be infringed (Vin.2.306).

[5]:

nidahitvā, or hoarding.

[6]:

yāvakālika. Vin-a.839, it may be eaten until noon. Cf. above, BD.2.330, n.1.

[7]:

Vin-a.839, it may be eaten until the last watch of the night.

[8]:

Cf. Vin.1.251 on relations of right and wrong times for eating these foods.