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what is given to the disciples of others is not greatly fruitful.’ Yet the Blessed One encourages me to give alms even to the Nigaṇṭhas. Moreover, Venerable Sir, we shall know the right time for this. Here, Venerable Sir, for the third time, I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth, as long as life lasts.” Then the Blessed One gave Siha the general a gradual discourse, that is, a discourse on giving… …without reliance on others in the Teacher’s Dispensation, he said to the Blessed One: “May the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, consent to accept a meal from me tomorrow, together with the Sangha of bhikkhus.” The Blessed One consented by his silence. Then Siha the general, knowing the Blessed One’s consent, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. 294. Then Siha the general ordered a certain man: “Go, good man, find out about fresh meat.” Then Siha the general, when that night had passed, had excellent hard and soft food prepared, and had the time announced to the Blessed One: “It is time, Venerable Sir, the meal is ready.” Then the Blessed One, in the forenoon, dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, went to the residence of Siha the general; having gone there, he sat down on the seat prepared. He sat down with the community of bhikkhus. Now at that time, many Nigaṇṭhas in Vesālī, from street to street, from crossroad to crossroad, raising their arms, were crying out: "Today, by General Sīha, a large animal has been killed, and a meal prepared for the ascetic Gotama. That ascetic Gotama, knowing it, eats meat specifically prepared for him, an act of complicity!" Then a certain man went to where General Sīha was. Having approached, he reported into General Sīha's ear: "Please, sir, know this: these many Nigaṇṭhas in Vesālī, from street to street, from crossroad to crossroad, raising their arms, are crying out: 'Today, by General Sīha, a large animal has been killed, and a meal prepared for the ascetic Gotama. That ascetic Gotama, knowing it, eats meat specifically prepared for him, an act of complicity!'" "Enough, good sir. For a long time these venerable ones have desired to disparage the Buddha, desired to disparage the Dhamma, desired to disparage the Saṅgha. And these venerable ones do not grow weary of slandering the Blessed One with what is untrue, empty, false, and baseless. And we would not intentionally deprive any living being of life, even for the sake of our own lives." Then General Sīha, having satisfied and served the community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with choice hard and soft foods with his own hands, when the Blessed One had finished eating and had removed his hand from the bowl, sat down to one side. General Sīha, who was sitting to one side, the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened. Then he rose from his seat and departed. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, meat specifically prepared for one should not be eaten. Whoever eats it commits an offense of wrong-doing. Bhikkhus, I allow fish and meat that is pure in three respects: not seen, not heard, not suspected (to have been killed for oneself)." The story of General Sīha is concluded. 179. Authorization of Suitable Land 295. At that time, Vesālī was prosperous, with good harvests, and alms were easy to obtain. It was easy to live by gleaning and gathering. Then, as the Blessed One was in solitary retreat, this thought arose in his mind: "Those things that I permitted to bhikkhus during famine, bad harvests, and scarce alms— things grown inside, things cooked inside, things cooked by oneself, things picked up and received, things brought out from there, things received before noon, things from the forest, things from the pond— do the bhikkhus still consume them today?" Then, in the evening, the Blessed One arose from his retreat and addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Those things, Ānanda, that I permitted to bhikkhus during famine, bad harvests, and scarce alms— things grown inside, things cooked inside, things cooked by oneself, things picked up and received, things brought out from there, things received before noon, things from the forest, things from the pond— do the bhikkhus still consume them today?" "They do, Blessed One," he replied. Then, on this occasion, on this matter, the Blessed One gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: "Those things, bhikkhus, that I permitted to bhikkhus during famine, bad harvests, and scarce alms— things grown inside, things cooked inside, things cooked by oneself, things picked up and received, things brought out from there, things received before noon, things from the forest, things from the pond— I forbid them from today onwards. Bhikkhus, things grown inside, things cooked inside, things cooked by oneself, things picked up and received, should not be consumed. Whoever consumes them incurs an offense of wrong-doing. And, bhikkhus, things brought out from there, things received before noon, things from the forest, things from the pond, should not be consumed as non-surplus by one who has eaten and declared satisfaction. Whoever consumes them should be dealt with according to the Dhamma." At that time, people from the countryside loaded much salt, oil, rice, and edibles onto carts and parked the carts in a circle in the outer monastery courtyard. They wait, having done so— "When we get our turn, then we will prepare the meal." And a great cloud had arisen. Then those people approached the venerable Ānanda, and having approached, they said to the venerable Ānanda: "Here, venerable Ānanda, much salt, and oil, and rice, and edibles are loaded on carts and stand ready. And a great cloud has arisen. How, then, venerable Ānanda, should we proceed?" Then the venerable Ānanda reported this matter to the Blessed One. "In that case, Ānanda, let the Saṅgha designate that outlying monastery as a permissible ground, and let them dwell there, whatever the Saṅgha desires— a monastery, or a half-gabled house, or a palace, or a mansion, or a cave. And thus, bhikkhus, it should be designated. A competent and capable bhikkhu should inform the Saṅgha: "May the Saṅgha, sirs, hear me. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should designate the monastery named 'such-and-such' as a permissible ground. This is the motion. "May the Saṅgha, sirs, hear me. The Saṅgha designates the monastery named 'such-and-such' as a permissible ground. To whichever venerable one the designation of the monastery named 'such-and-such' as a permissible ground is agreeable, let him be silent. To whom it is not agreeable, let him speak. "The monastery named 'such-and-such' has been designated by the Saṅgha as a permissible ground. It is agreeable to the Saṅgha, therefore it is silent. Thus do I hold this." Now at that time, the people, right there, on the designated permissible ground, were cooking gruel, cooking meals, preparing curries, chopping meat, splitting firewood. The Blessed One, having risen in the early morning, heard a loud noise, a great noise, a cawing-crow-like noise. Having heard it, he addressed the venerable Ānanda: "What, Ānanda, is that loud noise, that great noise, that cawing-crow-like noise?" "Just now, venerable sir, the people, right there, on the designated permissible ground, are cooking gruel, cooking meals, preparing curries, chopping meat... they pound, they split wood. So this, venerable sir, is a loud noise, a great noise, a crow-like noise.” Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, a designated suitable ground should not be used. Whoever uses it, there is an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, bhikkhus, three suitable grounds: near a well, where cattle rest, a householder’s place.” Now at that time, Venerable Yasojo was ill. Medicines were brought for him. The bhikkhus kept them outside. Mice ate them, and thieves stole them. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “I allow, bhikkhus, to use a designated suitable ground. I allow, bhikkhus, four suitable grounds: near a well, where cattle rest, a householder’s place, a designated place.” The allowance of suitable grounds is finished. The Lion Chapter, the fourth, is finished. 180. The Story of Mendaka the Householder 296. Now at that time, in the city of Bhaddiya, Mendaka the householder resided. He had such a miraculous power: after bathing his head, having the granary swept, he would sit outside the door, and a stream of grain would fall from the sky and fill the granary. His wife had such a miraculous power: sitting by just one measure-pot, and one pot of curry, she would serve food to servants and laborers, and it would not be exhausted until she rose. His son had such a miraculous power: taking just one purse of a thousand, he would give six months' wages to servants and laborers, and it would not be exhausted as long as it was in his hand. His daughter-in-law had such a miraculous power: sitting by just one basket of four measures, she would give six months' food to servants and laborers, and it would not be exhausted until she rose. His slave had such His form has psychic power— when he plows with one plow, seven furrows go. Now King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard: “It is said that in our realm, in the city of Bhaddiya, there lives the householder Meṇḍaka. He has such psychic power— having washed his head, and had the granary swept, he sits outside the door, and a stream of grain falls from the sky, filling the granary. His wife has such psychic power— sitting by a single measure of rice, and one condiment, she serves food to the servants, workers, and men, and it is not exhausted until she rises. His son has such psychic power—