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B020104Cūḷavagga aṭṭhakathā(minor chapter commentary)

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Therefore, such a thing, having taken it once or twice, the rest should not be taken. "The elder should not eat yet," this refers to a refectory with a limited number of bhikkhus, where people wish to serve everyone after reaching them; it was said with that in mind. But if it is a large refectory, where they eat in one place, and water is given in another place, there one may eat as one pleases. "Not water yet," this was said with reference to water for washing hands. But if one is thirsty in between, or has food stuck in the throat, having drunk water, the hands should not be washed. If people say, "Venerable sirs, wash the bowl and hands," or if bhikkhus say, "You may take water," it is permissible. "By turning back," it is shown that the Saṅgha, having risen from the refectory and turning back, should turn back in this way. How? Everything should be understood as "by the new ones." For in crowded houses, there is no space for the great elders to exit, therefore it was said thus. But the new ones, turning back in this way, should stand at the house door and go in single file after the elders have exited. But if the great elders are seated at the head, and the new ones are inside the house, they should exit in single file starting from the elders' seats. Without bumping body against body, so that people can pass in between, they should go in a loose single file. The discourse on Refectory Duties is finished. The discourse on Alms-round Duties 366. In the Alms-round Duties – "or lays down work" means cotton, or a winnowing basket, or a pestle, or whatever they hold to do work, standing or sitting If they are not, he puts it down. And for the alms-giver, whether woman or man, at the time of giving alms, the face should not be looked at. The Discourse on the Practice of Alms-round is concluded. Discourse on the Practice of the Forest Dweller 368. In the practice of the forest dweller: one should descend from the dwelling, that is, one should depart from the dwelling place. Regarding "having put the bowl into the bag": if there is no water outside the village, having done the meal-duty inside the village itself, but if there is (water) outside the village, having done the meal-duty outside the village, the bowl should be washed, made waterless, and put into the bag. Regarding "one should provide water for general use": if there are not enough vessels, drinking water itself should be made into water for general use and provided. If one does not obtain a vessel, it should be provided even in a bamboo tube. If one does not obtain even that, it should be done so that there is a water-pit nearby. If there is a fire-stick set, it is permissible not to make a fire. And just as for the forest dweller, so too for one who has entered the wilderness, a fire-stick set is desired. But for one dwelling in a group, it is permissible even without it. "Nakkhattāni" are just "nakkhattapadāni." The Discourse on the Practice of the Forest Dweller is concluded. Discourse on the Practice of Dwellings 369. In the practice of dwellings: because a door is a great thoroughfare, therefore there is no need for asking permission there. But other things, such as giving instructions, should be done only after asking permission. It is permissible to ask permission daily. Or if, when it is said, "Venerable sir, let it be as if permission has been asked," the elder assents with "Good," or if he himself says, "You may dwell as you please"; even so it is permissible. It is permissible even by the trust of one's equal. Regarding "one should turn towards the elder": one should turn facing the elder. In dining halls and so on, one should act in the same way. The Discourse on the Practice of Dwellings is concluded. Discourse on the Practice of the Hot-house and so on 371. In the practice of the hot-house: "paribhaṇḍanti" means outside the enclosure. 373. In the matter of rinsing the mouth: Here, regarding "if there is water": if there is water, but there is no concealed place, with a vessel, not... Having brought, one should rinse the mouth. If there is no vessel, one should remove with the bowl. If there is no bowl either, it is called non-existent. For one who has gone thinking, "This is too exposed, there will be other water ahead," but does not find water, it is already the time for alms-round. One should wipe with a stick or something else and go. It is permissible to eat and also to give thanks. "In due order of arrival" means that in the latrine, the urinal, and the bathing place, the order of arrival is the standard in all three. 374. Regarding the latrine duties – "not chewing a tooth-stick" is a prohibition everywhere, both in the latrine and outside the latrine. "Not with a rough stick" means one should not scrape with a split stick, or a rough one, or a knotty one, or a thorny one, or a hollow one, or a rotten one. However, for one who enters without taking a scraping stick, there is no offense. "Not in the rinsing bowl" – this is said with reference to a common place. For there, others come and go, therefore water should not be left over. But if it is a place made for constant use in one part of a monastic residence, even a communal one, or a personal place, it is permissible there. It is also permissible for one who has drunk a purgative and enters repeatedly. "Ūhatā" means `ūhaditā`; the meaning is "smeared with excrement outside." "Should be washed" means, having brought water, it should be washed. If there is water but no vessel, it is called non-existent. If there is a vessel but no water, this too is non-existent. But if both are absent, it is indeed non-existent; one should wipe with a stick or something else and go. The rest is clear everywhere. The discourse on the duties concerning the hot-bath house, etc., is finished. The commentary on the chapter on duties is finished. 9. The Chapter on the Suspension of the Pātimokkha Discourse on the Request for the Recitation of the Pātimokkha 383. In the Chapter on the Suspension of the Pātimokkha – ("On the night of the joyful face" – for even at the time of dawn, the night appears like a joyful face. Therefore it is said, "on the night of the joyful face.") "Inwardly rotten" means inwardly rotten due to the rottenness of defilements in one's own mind-stream. "Leaking" means the leaking of defilements defiled by lust. "Kasambukajāta" means defiled by the abundance of faults. "Even to the point of being seized by the arm" means upon hearing the words "Ananda, the assembly is impure," he should have departed. Not departing thus, that foolish man will come even to the point of being seized by the arm. This shows how astonishing it is. 384. "Not a precipice from the very beginning" means not deep from the very first; the meaning is, it is deep gradually. "The established rule does not transgress the boundary" means it does not cross the boundary line, the receding hollow of the waves. "Washes away the bank" means removes from the bank; the meaning is, it erodes. "Penetration of knowledge" means attainment of arahantship. 385. "It rains excessively on what is covered" means one who, having committed an offense, conceals it, commits another new offense. This is said with reference to that. "It does not rain excessively on what is open" means one who, having committed an offense, discloses it, does not commit another. This is said with reference to that. The discourse on the request for the recitation of the Pātimokkha is concluded. The discourse on who is worthy to hear the Pātimokkha 386. Here, "the Pātimokkha is set aside" means even if set aside before or after, it is not considered set aside. Only that which is set aside in the proper field is called "set aside." Therefore, in the phrase "Venerable Sirs, may the Sangha hear me. Today is the fifteenth day of the Uposatha. If it is suitable for the Sangha, may the Sangha perform the Uposatha," it should be set aside until the syllable "re" is uttered, for this is the proper field. If it is set aside after the syllable "yya" is uttered, it is called "set aside afterwards." If it is set aside before "Suṇātu me" is even begun, it is called "set aside beforehand." The discourse on who is worthy to hear the Pātimokkha is concluded. The discourse on the rightful and unrightful setting aside of the Pātimokkha 387. "Sets aside the Pātimokkha on account of a groundless transgression of morality, which was not committed" means whether that transgression was committed by that person or not, the perception of the one setting aside the Pātimokkha is groundless, thus it is groundless. "On account of a transgression committed and not committed" is said taking both the committed and the not committed. "Does not approach the rightful harmony" means desiring to disrupt the act, he does not come when the Sangha is performing the act, He does not give consent, he directly rejects it, thereby he incurs a dukkaṭa. Thus, for him, being with an offense, the Pātimokkha is suspended. "He takes it back" means "the act is to be done again," he takes it back, thereby, by that revocation, he incurs a pācittiya. Thus, for him, being with an offense, the Pātimokkha is suspended. The discourse on the suspension of the Pātimokkha, whether lawful or unlawful, is concluded. Discourse on the Suspension of the Lawful Pātimokkha 388. Here, in "by which modes, by which signs, by which indications," the designations of modes, etc., should be understood in terms of leading to the path or not leading to the path, and so on. Here, in "by what was seen, by what was heard, by that suspicion," what was seen and heard is already found in the Pāli text. But if one were to arouse suspicion by what was seen and heard, it is said with reference to that, "by that suspicion." The discourse on the suspension of the lawful Pātimokkha is concluded. Discourse on the Factors of Self-Undertaking 398.