English
"Whatever monk, being invited and having eaten, either before mealtime or after mealtime, goes about visiting families, there is an offense of expiation." Thus this training rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the monks. 296. Now at that time, monks, during the robe-offering season, feeling scrupulous, did not wait upon families. Few robes were obtained. They reported this matter to the Blessed One... "I allow, monks, to wait upon families during the robe-offering season." "And thus, monks, you should recite this training rule:" "Whatever monk, being invited and having eaten, either before mealtime or after mealtime, goes about visiting families, except at the right time, there is an offense of expiation. And this is the right time: the robe-offering season – this is the right time there." Thus this training rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the monks. 297. Now at that time, monks were making robes, and there was a need for needles, thread, and knives. Monks, feeling scrupulous, did not wait upon families. They reported this matter to the Blessed One... "I allow, monks, to wait upon families during the robe-making season." "And thus, monks, you should recite this training rule:" "Whatever monk, being invited and having eaten, either before mealtime or after mealtime, goes about visiting fami- should go for alms in families, except at the proper time, it is an offense of expiation. Here is the proper time: The time for offering robes, the time for making robes – this is the proper time here. Thus, this rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus. 298. Now at that time, bhikkhus were sick, and there was a need for medicines. The bhikkhus, feeling scruples, did not frequent families. They reported this matter to the Blessed One… I allow, bhikkhus, having asked a bhikkhu who is present, to frequent families. And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this rule: 299. “Should any bhikkhu, being invited to a meal, without asking a bhikkhu who is present, go for alms in families before the meal or after the meal, except at the proper time, it is an offense of expiation. Here is the proper time: The time for offering robes, the time for making robes – this is the proper time here.” 300. “Should any bhikkhu” means whoever, of whatever kind… “bhikkhu” means… this bhikkhu is intended in this context. “Invited” means invited with one of the five kinds of food. “To a meal” means having eaten the meal by the one who invited him. “A bhikkhu who is present” means it is possible to enter after asking him. “A bhikkhu who is not present” means it is not possible to enter after asking him. “Before the meal” means before eating by the one who invited him. “After the meal” means even if the one who invited him has eaten as little as the tip of a blade of grass. “Family” means four kinds of families: Khattiya families, Brahmin families, Vessa families, Sudda families. “Go for alms in families” means for one who steps into another's house precinct, there is an offense of wrong-doing. When the first foot crosses the threshold, there is an offense of wrong-doing. When the second foot crosses, there is an offense of expiation. “Except at the proper time” means excluding the proper time. “The time for offering robes” means the last month of the rainy season when the kathina is not spread, and five months when the kathina is spread. “The time for making robes” means when robes are being made. e. 301. If, being invited, he perceives himself as invited, and without asking the present bhikkhu, before or after the meal, he goes for alms to families, except at the proper time, there is an offense of pācittiya. If, being invited, he is in doubt, and without asking the present bhikkhu, before or after the meal, he goes for alms to families, except at the proper time, there is an offense of pācittiya. If, being invited, he perceives himself as not invited, and without asking the present bhikkhu, before or after the meal, he goes for alms to families, except at the proper time, there is an offense of pācittiya. If, not invited, he perceives himself as invited, there is an offense of dukkaṭa. If, not invited, he is in doubt, there is an offense of dukkaṭa. If, not invited, he perceives himself as not invited, there is no offense. 302. There is no offense at the proper time, if he asks the present bhikkhu and enters, if he enters without asking an absent bhikkhu, if the path is through another's house, if the path is through the house precinct, if he goes within the monastery, if he goes to a bhikkhunī's residence, if he goes to a residence of sectarians, if he goes to a place of retreat, if he goes to a house of a hired worker, in times of danger, for one who is insane, for one who is the first offender. The training rule on going for alms is finished, the sixth. 7. The Training Rule on Mahānāma 303. At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at Nigrodhārāma. At that time, the Sakyan Mahānāma had an abundance of medicine. Then the Sakyan Mahānāma approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Sakyan Mahānāma said to the Blessed One: "I wish, venerable sir, to invite the Saṅgha with medicine for four months." "Good, good, Mahānāma! Then, Mahānāma, you should invite the Saṅgha with medicine for four months." The bhikkhus, feeling scruples, did not accept. They reported this matter to the Blessed One... "I allow, bhikkhus, to accept an invitation for medicine for four months." At that time, the bhikkhus requested a little medicine from Mahānāma the Sakyan. Just so, Mahānāma the Sakyan had an abundance of medicine. A second time, Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said this to the Blessed One: "I wish, Venerable Sir, to invite the Saṅgha for another four months with medicine." "Good, good, Mahānāma! Therefore, Mahānāma, you may invite the Saṅgha for another four months with medicine." The bhikkhus, feeling scruples, did not accept. They reported this matter to the Blessed One... "I allow, bhikkhus, that a second invitation may be accepted." At that time, the bhikkhus requested only a little medicine from Mahānāma the Sakyan. Just so, Mahānāma the Sakyan had an abundance of medicine. A third time, Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said this to the Blessed One: "I wish, Venerable Sir, to invite the Saṅgha for as long as I live with medicine." "Good, good, Mahānāma! Therefore, Mahānāma, you may invite the Saṅgha for as long as you live with medicine." The bhikkhus, feeling scruples, did not accept. They reported this matter to the Blessed One... "I allow, bhikkhus, that a permanent invitation may be accepted." At that time, the group of six bhikkhus were improperly dressed, improperly robed, and lacking in proper conduct. Mahānāma the Sakyan was a speaker (critic): "Why are you, Venerable Sirs, improperly dressed, improperly robed, and lacking in proper conduct? Should not one who has gone forth be well-dressed, well-robed, and endowed with proper conduct?" The group of six bhikkhus resented Mahānāma the Sakyan. Then it occurred to the group of six bhikkhus: "By what means might we Mahānāma the Sakyan..." whom should we make ashamed?” Then it occurred to the group of six monks: “Friends, Mahānāma the Sakyan has invited the Saṅgha with medicine. Come, friends, let us ask Mahānāma the Sakyan for ghee.” Then the group of six monks approached Mahānāma the Sakyan. Having approached, they said to Mahānāma the Sakyan: “Friend, we need a measure of ghee.” “Please come back tomorrow, Venerables. The people have gone to the cattle-pen to fetch the ghee. You will get it in due time.” A second time too… A third time too, the group of six monks said to Mahānāma the Sakyan: “Friend, we need a measure of ghee.” “Please come back tomorrow, Venerables. The people have gone to the cattle-pen to fetch the ghee. You will get it in due time.” “Why, friend, did you make an invitation if you don’t intend to give, when you invite and then don’t give?” Then Mahānāma the Sakyan grumbled, complained, and criticized: “How can it be that the Venerables, when told, ‘Please come back tomorrow, Venerables,’ do not come back?” The monks heard Mahānāma the Sakyan grumbling, complaining, and criticizing. Those monks who were of few desires… they grumbled, complained, and criticized: “How can it be that the group of six monks, when told by Mahānāma the Sakyan, ‘Please come back tomorrow, Venerables,’ do not come back?” … “Is it true, monks, that when told by Mahānāma the Sakyan, ‘Please come back tomorrow, Venerables,’ you did not come back?” “It is true, Blessed One.” The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them… “How can it be, foolish men, that when told by Mahānāma the Sakyan, ‘Please come back tomorrow, Venerables,’ you did not come back? This, foolish men, is not for the conversion of the unconverted… And thus, monks, you should recite this training rule: 306. A non-sick monk should accept an invitation for requisites for four months, except for a renewed invitation. except for a continuous invitation; if he accepts more than that, it is an offense of pācittiya. 307. By a non-sick bhikkhu, the invitation for requisites for four months should be accepted, or the invitation for requisites for the sick should be accepted. A renewed invitation should also be accepted, saying, "When I am sick, then I will make it known." A continuous invitation should also be accepted, saying, "When I am sick, then I will make it known." If he accepts more than that: there is an invitation limited by medicine, not limited by nights;