Vinaya Pitaka (1): Bhikkhu-vibhanga (the analysis of Monks’ rules)
by I. B. Horner | 2014 | 345,334 words | ISBN-13: 9781921842160
The English translation of the Bhikkhu-vibhanga: the first part of the Suttavibhanga, which itself is the first book of the Pali Vinaya Pitaka, one of the three major ‘baskets’ of Therevada canonical literature. It is a collection of rules for Buddhist monks. The English translation of the Vinaya-pitaka (first part, bhikkhu-vibhanga) contains many...
Monks’ Training (Sekhiya) 37
Bu-Sk.37.1.1 … in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks, having asked for curry and conjey for themselves, ate it.[1] People looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying: “How can this group of six monks, having asked for curry and conjey for themselves, eat it? Who does not like well-cooked things? Who does not like sweet things?”[2] Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying:
“How can this group of six monks, having asked for curry and conjey for themselves, eat it?” …
“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, having asked for curry and conjey for yourselves, ate it?”
“It is true, lord.”
The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:
“How can you, foolish men … eat it? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:
‘I will not eat curry or conjey, having asked for it for myself,’ is a training to be observed.”
And thus this rule of training for monks came to be laid down by the lord.
Bu-Sk.37.1.2 BD.3.132 Now at that time monks came to be ill. Monks, asking after the ill ones, spoke thus to the ill monks: “We hope that your reverences are better, we hope that you are keeping going.”
“Formerly we, your reverences, having asked for curry or conjey for ourselves, ate it; thus there came to be comfort for us. But now it is forbidden by the lord, and being scrupulous, we do not ask; thus there comes to be no comfort for us.”[3] They told this matter to the lord. He said:
“I allow you, monks, when a monk is ill, having asked for curry or conjey for himself, to eat it. And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:
‘I will not eat curry or conjey, having asked for it for myself, if not ill,’ is a training to be observed.”
One should not eat curry or conjey, having asked for it for oneself, unless one is ill. Whoever out of disrespect, having asked for curry or conjey for oneself, if not ill, eats it, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if it is unintentional, if he is not thinking, if he does not know, if he is ill, if it belongs to relations, if it is offered, if it is by means of his own property, if there are accidents, if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer. Vin.4.194