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Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, for a family that grows in faith but diminishes in wealth, to give a 'trainee's permission' by a motion-and-two-declarations. And thus, bhikkhus, it should be given. A competent and capable bhikkhu should inform the Sangha: 563. "May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The family named 'so-and-so' grows in faith, but diminishes in wealth. If the Sangha's p... It is fitting. The Saṅgha should grant the Sekkha-designation to such-and-such a family. This is the motion. “May the Saṅgha, Venerable Sirs, listen to me. Such-and-such a family grows in faith, but declines in wealth. The Saṅgha grants the Sekkha-designation to such-and-such a family. If it is agreeable to any venerable one to grant the Sekkha-designation to such-and-such a family, he should remain silent; if it is not agreeable, he should speak. The Sekkha-designation has been granted by the Saṅgha to such-and-such a family. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent. Thus do I hold this.” And thus, monks, should you recite this training rule: “As for those families designated as Sekkha, if any monk, in such families designated as Sekkha, should receive with his own hand food or edibles and eat or consume them, that monk should confess it: ‘I have fallen into a blameworthy state, friend, an unsuitable one, one to be confessed; that I confess.’” Thus was this training rule enacted by the Blessed One for the monks. 564. At that time, there was a festival in Sāvatthī. People invited monks and offered them food. That family also invited monks. The monks, feeling scruples, did not accept, thinking: “It has been forbidden by the Blessed One to receive with one’s own hand food or edibles and eat or consume them in families designated as Sekkha.” They complained, grumbled, and criticized: “What is the meaning of our lives if the venerable ones do not accept from us!” The monks heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks: “I permit, monks, when invited, to receive with one’s own hand food or edibles and eat or consume them in families designated as Sekkha. And thus, monks, this… the training rule: “Whatever families are designated as training families, if any bhikkhu, in such training families, not having been invited beforehand, receives with his own hand and eats or consumes food or edibles, that bhikkhu should confess it: ‘I have fallen into a blameworthy state, friend, an unsuitable, confessable offense; I confess it.’” Thus was this training rule enacted by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus. 565. At that time, a certain bhikkhu was a regular visitor to that family. Then that bhikkhu, having dressed in the morning, took his bowl and robe and went to that family; having gone, he sat down on the seat prepared. At that time, that bhikkhu was ill. Then those people said to that bhikkhu, “Eat, venerable sir.” Then that bhikkhu, feeling remorse, thinking, “The Blessed One has forbidden receiving with one’s own hand and eating or consuming food or edibles in training families without being invited,” did not accept it; he was unable to go on almsround; he was deprived of his meal. Then that bhikkhu went to the monastery and reported this matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this occasion, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, bhikkhus, for an ill bhikkhu to receive with his own hand and eat or consume food or edibles in training families. And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule: 566. “Whatever families are designated as training families, if any bhikkhu, in such training families, not having been invited beforehand, and not being ill, receives with his own hand and eats or consumes food or edibles, that bhikkhu should confess it: ‘I have fallen into a blameworthy state, friend, an unsuitable, confessable offense; I confess it.’” This is a matter to be confessed, I confess it. 567. And what are those families called "trained families"? A trained family is a family that grows in faith, but declines in wealth. To such a family, the designation of "trained" is given by a motion with a second. "Whoever" means whoever, of whatever kind... "monk" means... this monk is intended in this context. "In such trained families" means in such trained families. "Uninvited" means uninvited for today or tomorrow; if one invites when entering the vicinity of the house, that is "uninvited." "Invited" means invited for today or tomorrow; if one invites without entering the vicinity of the house, that is "invited." "Not sick" means able to go for alms. "Sick" means unable to go for alms. "Hard food" means, excluding the five kinds of food—food for a watch, food for a week, and food for life—the rest is "hard food." "Soft food" means the five kinds of food—boiled rice, gruel, flour, fish, meat. If, being uninvited and not sick, one accepts "I will eat, I will consume," there is an offense of wrong-doing. With each mouthful, there is an offense to be confessed. 568. In a trained family, perceiving it as a trained family, being uninvited and not sick, if one accepts hard food or soft food with one's own hand and eats or consumes it, there is an offense to be confessed. In a trained family, being in doubt... In a trained family, perceiving it as an untrained family, being uninvited and not sick, if one accepts hard food or soft food with one's own hand and eats or consumes it, there is an offense to be confessed. If one accepts food for a watch, food for a week, or food for life for the purpose of eating, there is an offense of wrong-doing. With each mouthful, there is an offense of wrong-doing. In an untrained family, perceiving it as a trained family, there is an offense of wrong-doing. In an untrained family, being in doubt, there is an offense of wrong-doing. In an untrained family, perceiving it as an untrained family, there is no offense. 569. A There is no offense for one who is invited, for one who is sick, for one who eats the remainder of food when invited or sick, when alms for others are arranged there, when it is given after being brought out from the house, for regular meals, for ticket meals, for fortnightly meals, for Uposatha meals, for first-day-of-the-fortnight meals, for food given for a watch, for food given for a week, for food given for a lifetime – saying, "Eat it if there is a cause." for one who is insane, for one who is the first wrongdoer. The third Pāṭidesanīya training rule is finished. 4. The Fourth Pāṭidesanīya Training Rule 570. At one time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at the Nigrodha Park. At that time, Sakyan slaves were restrained. Sakyan women wanted to prepare meals at remote forest dwellings. The Sakyan slaves heard, "The Sakyan women, it seems, want to prepare meals at remote forest dwellings." They ambushed them on the road. The Sakyan women, taking choice hard and soft foods, went to the remote forest dwelling. The Sakyan slaves came out and seized and defiled the Sakyan women. The Sakyans came out, caught those thieves with their goods, and complained, grumbled, and criticized, "How can it be, sirs, that you did not report the thieves residing in the park!" The bhikkhus heard the Sakyans complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus, "Therefore, bhikkhus, I will lay down a training rule for the bhikkhus for ten reasons – for the excellence of the Sangha… and so on… And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule: "Now, those remote forest dwellings that are considered dangerous and fearful – if a bhikkhu, dwelling in such dwellings, receives hard food or soft food with his own hand in the dwelling, without having previously informed, or eats or consumes, or partakes, that monk must confess – ‘I have fallen into a blameworthy, unsuitable, and confessable state, friend, I confess it.’ Thus this rule of training was laid down by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus. 571. Now at that time a certain bhikkhu was ill in a forest dwelling. People, taking food or edibles, went to the forest dwelling. Then those people said to that bhikkhu – “Eat, venerable sir.” Then that bhikkhu, scrupulous, thinking, “It is forbidden by the Blessed One to receive food or edibles with one’s own hand and eat or consume them in forest dwellings,” did not accept them, he was unable to go for alms, he was without food. Then that bhikkhu told the bhikkhus about this matter. The bhikkhus told the Blessed One about this matter. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this occasion, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus – “I allow, bhikkhus, for an ill bhikkhu in forest dwellings to receive food or edibles with his own hand, which were not previously announced, and to eat or consume them. And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this rule of training – 572. “Now those forest dwellings that are considered dangerous and fearful, if a bhikkhu, not ill, in such dwellings, receives with his own hand food or edibles not previously announced within the monastery grounds, and eats or consumes them, that bhikkhu must confess – ‘I have fallen into a blameworthy, unsuitable, and confessable state, friend, I confess it.’ ” 573. As for those forest dwellings: a forest dwelling is one that is at least five hundred bows (away).