Allowance for conjey and honey-lumps

^Kd.6.24.1 Then the Lord, having stayed in Benares for as long as he found suiting, set out on tour for Andhakavinda^[1] together with the large Order of monks, with the twelve hundred and fifty monks. Now at that time the country people, having loaded much salt and oil and husked rice and solid food into wagons, followed close after the Order of monks with the awakened one at its head, saying:

“When we get our turn, then we will make a meal (for them),”^[2] and there were at least five hundred of those who eat the remains of food. Then the Lord, walking on tour, in due course arrived at Andhakavinda.

^{Kd.6.24.2 BD.4.301} Then it occurred to a certain brahmin who did not receive his turn: “For the last two months I have been following the Older of monks with the awakened one at its head, thinking: ‘When I get my turn, I will make a meal (for them),’ but I do not get my turn. I am alone, and many of my household affairs are going to ruin. Suppose I were to look into the refectory^[3] and prepare that which I do not see in the refectory?” Then that brahmin, looking into the refectory, did not see two things: conjey and honey-lumps.^[4]

^Kd.6.24.3 Then that brahmin approached the venerable Ānanda; having approached, he spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda: “Now, it occurred to me, good Ānanda, as I did not get a turn: ‘For ^Vin.1.221 the last two months … Suppose I were to look into the refectory and prepare that which I do not see in the refectory?” So I, good Ānanda, looking into the refectory, did not see two things: conjey and honey-lumps. If I, good Ānanda, were to prepare conjey and honey-lumps, would the revered Gotama accept them from me?”

“Well then, brahmin, I will ask the Lord.”

^Kd.6.24.4 Then the venerable Ānanda told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Well then, Ānanda, let him prepare them.” (Ānanda) said: “Well then, brahmin, prepare them”. Then that brahmin towards the end of that night, having had a quantity of conjey and honey-lumps prepared, brought them to the Lord saying: “May the revered Gotama accept conjey and honey-lumps from me.”

“Well then, brahmin, give them to the monks.” The monks, being scrupulous, did not accept them. (The Lord said:) “Accept them, monks, make use of them.” Then that brahmin, having with his own hand served and satisfied the Order of monks with the awakened one at its head with a quantity of conjey and honey-lumps, when the Lord had washed his hand^[5] and had withdrawn his hand from his bowl, sat down at a respectful distance.

^{Kd.6.24.5 BD.4.302} Then as this brahmin was sitting down at a respectful distance, the Lord spoke thus to him:

“Brahmin, there are these ten advantages from conjey. What ten? In giving conjey one gives life, one gives beauty, one gives ease, one gives strength, one gives intelligence; conjey when it is drunk checks hunger, keeps off thirst, regulates wind, cleanses the bladder, digests raw remnants of food.^[6] These, brahmin, are the ten advantages of conjey.”

^Kd.6.24.6 “To the discerning whoso gives conjey duly
At the right time to one who lives on others’ food,
It confers ten things on him:
Life and beauty, ease and strength;^[7]

“For him intelligence arises from it,
It dispels hunger, thirst and wind,
It cleanses the bladder, it digests food;
This medicine is praised by the well-farer.

“Therefore conjey should be given constantly
By a man longing for ease,
By those aspiring to deva-like joys
Or wanting human prosperity.” ^Vin.1.222

^Kd.6.24.7 Then the Lord having given thanks to that brahmin in these verses, rising from his seat, departed. Then the Lord, having on this occasion given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“I allow, monks, conjey and honey-lumps.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A village in the Magadha country.

[2]:

Cf. Kd.6.33.1.

[3]:

Cf. Kd.6.36.6–Kd.6.36.8.

[4]:

madhugoḷaka, perhaps honey-combs. At Mahāvaṃsa 22.42; Mahāvaṃsa 34.52 we find madhugaṇḍa, translated by Geiger as “honey-combs”.

[5]:

dhotahattha, an unusual expression occurring at Kd.6.35.4; Kd.6.36.8. Used in explanation of allapāṇi at Pv-a.116. Technically hattha is the forearm from elbow to finger-tip, see BD.2, Introduction, p.li. Perhaps pāṇi is the hand itself.

[6]:

The last five advantages occur also at AN.iii.250.

[7]:

Cf. AN.ii.64, where a similar verse occurs, but reading bhojana, food, instead of yāgu, conjey, and “four things” instead of “ten”.