English
arrange seats, provide water, go forth to meet the Saṅgha and bring them, make them sit on the arranged seats, being full of desire and enthusiasm, perform service," is called loving-kindness verbal action. For monks, having risen early in the morning, taking care of the body, and having performed duties like those in the cetiya compound, sitting in a secluded place, thinking: "May the monks in this monastery be happy, free from enmity, free from ill-will," is called loving-kindness mental action. For householders, thinking: "May the venerable ones be happy, free from enmity, free from ill-will," is called loving-kindness mental action. "Gains" (refers to) requisites obtained, such as robes. "Righteous" (refers to) k obtained by a blameless livelihood, avoiding wrong livelihood such as divination and so forth, by the practice of alms-gathering in accordance with the Dhamma and equity. Even if it is only the amount that fits in the bowl —that is, the minimum amount that fits in the bowl, just two or three spoonfuls of alms. He eats without dividing what is to be given and what is worthy of offerings; thus, he is one who partakes without division. Here, there are two kinds of division: division of material things and division of persons. Of these, dividing with the thought, “I will give this much, I will not give that much,” is called division of material things. Dividing with the thought, “I will give to this person, I will not give to that person,” is called division of persons. One who eats without doing either of these, partaking without division, is called one who partakes without division. Therefore, it is said, “He does not divide the material things and eat,” and so on. “Even not to give” —the word “pi” (even) indicates that it is permissible to give. For giving is not forbidden to anyone; therefore, even to a corrupt person, if there is a need and a possibility, it should be given, but this is out of compassion, not for the sake of fulfilling a practice. For one who fulfills the amiable qualities, because of partaking without division, it is said, “It should be given to all.” Giving specifically to the sick and so on is on the side of non-division, because there is no prohibition “I will not give to this person.” For division is primarily a matter of exclusion. Therefore, it is said, “It is permissible to give even to the sick, the attendants of the sick, … and so on, after careful consideration.” Regarding “one who partakes in common,” this is the characteristic of one who partakes in common: whatever choice food he receives, he gives it to laypeople, not seeking gain by gain, maintaining the purity of his livelihood, and he does not consume it himself, (thinking) “May I not be one who partakes not in common.” And when he receives it, he takes it with the thought, “May it be common to the Saṅgha,” and he sees it as belonging to the Saṅgha, to be consumed after striking the bell. By this, it is shown that his gain is kept common at all three times. “That While receiving, "May it be common to the Saṅgha!" by this, the time of receiving is shown. "Having received... and sees," by this, the time of having received. But both of these, without such a prior part, do not occur. Thus, the earlier time is established by meaning. And this, even before receiving, occurs to him as, "May it be common to the Saṅgha! I shall receive it thus." While receiving, it occurs to him as, "May it be common to the Saṅgha! I am receiving it thus." And after receiving, it occurs as, "May it be common to the Saṅgha! It has been received by me thus." Thus, having made the acquired gain complete with these three characteristics, and without disturbing the final characteristic, one who consumes it becomes one who shares in the enjoyment, and one whose enjoyment is not divided. But who fulfills this conciliatory duty, and who does not fulfill it? First, the immoral person does not fulfill it. For the virtuous do not accept what belongs to him. But the pure-in-virtue fulfills it by not breaking the practice. Here is that practice: Whoever, having made a specific dedication, gives to mother or father, or to teachers, preceptors, and so on, let him give what is to be given. But that is not a conciliatory duty for him; it is called "guarding an impediment." For a conciliatory duty is only suitable for one free from impediments. Therefore, by one giving a specific dedication, it should be given to the sick, to those attending the sick, to visitors, to travelers, and to the newly ordained who do not know how to receive the outer robe and bowl. Having given to these, the remainder, starting from the elder's seat, without giving little by little, whoever takes how much, that much should be given to him. If there is no remainder, having again gone for alms, starting from the elder's seat, whatever is choice, that should be given, and the rest consumed. But this conciliatory duty is well-fulfilled by an assembly well-trained in the method of fulfilling conciliatory duties. For in a well-trained assembly, whoever receives from another, does not take it. Even if not receiving from another, one takes only a suitable amount, not excessively. And this conciliatory duty, thus again and again... Having gone for alms, whatever is received, even if given away, it is fulfilled in twelve years, not less than that. If, in the twelfth year, the one fulfilling the duties of amiability, having placed a bowl full of alms food in the assembly hall, goes to bathe, and the elder of the Sangha, saying, "Whose bowl is this?" and when told, "It belongs to the one fulfilling the duties of amiability," says, "Bring it here!" and having distributed and eaten all the alms food, leaves the bowl empty. Then that bhikkhu, seeing the empty bowl, generates displeasure, thinking, "They consumed it all without leaving any for me!" The duty of amiability is broken, and it must be fulfilled again for twelve years. For this is like the probation of sectarians; once it is broken, it must be fulfilled again. But if one generates joy, thinking, "Indeed, it is a gain for me, indeed, it is well-obtained for me, that my co-brahmacārīs consume what is in my bowl without asking me!" for him, it is considered fulfilled. For one who has thus fulfilled the duties of amiability, there is neither envy nor stinginess; he is dear to people, his requisites are easily obtained, what is given from his bowl is not exhausted, he receives the best goods in place of ordinary goods, and when fear or famine arises, deities become concerned. Here are these stories: It is said that Thera Tissa, dwelling in Leṇagiri, resided near the village of Mahākhīra. About fifty elders, going to Nāgadīpa to worship the cetiya, went for alms in Khīragāma and came out having received nothing. The Thera, entering, saw them and asked, "Did you receive anything, Venerables?" "We wandered, friend." Knowing they had received nothing, he said, "Venerables, please stay here until I return." "Friend, we fifty people did not even get enough for a bowl of curry." "Venerables, residents are capable; even if they don't receive, they know the way of alms-round." The elders came. The Thera entered the village. In the main house, a great female lay follower, having prepared milk-rice, stood watching for the Thera, and when the Thera reached her door... filling his own bowl, he gave it. Taking it, he went to the elders and said to the Sangha elder, “Take it, venerable sirs.” The elder looked at the faces of the others, thinking, “We, so many of us, have received nothing. This one came back so quickly, what could it be?” Knowing from the elder’s glance, he said, “Venerable sirs, this alms-food was obtained righteously and fairly. Take it without remorse.” From that point on, he gave enough to everyone, and he himself ate enough. Then, at the end of the meal, the elders asked him, “When, friend, did you penetrate the supramundane Dhamma?” “I have no supramundane Dhamma, venerable sirs.” “Are you a jhana-attainer, friend?” “That too, venerable sirs, I do not have.” “Is it not, friend, a miracle?” “My Dhamma of amiability, venerable sirs, has been perfected. From the time it was perfected, even if there were a hundred thousand monks, what is in the bowl does not diminish.” “Excellent, excellent, good man! This is fitting for you.” This is the story of “what is in the bowl does not diminish.” This same elder, having gone to the alms-giving place at the great Giribhaṇḍa festival on Cetiyapabbata, asked, “What is the best offering in this alms-giving?” “Two robes, venerable sir.” “Will these reach me?” Hearing that, the minister reported to the king, “A young monk says this.” The king said, “Such is the thought of the young monk, but fine robes are suitable for the great elders.” Saying this, he set them aside, thinking, “I will give them to the great elders.” When he was giving them to the assembled Sangha in order, even though they were placed on their heads, those robes did not reach their hands; others reached their hands. But at the time of giving to the young monk, they reached his hand. Placing them in his hand, the minister looked at the king’s face, made the young monk sit down, gave the alms, dismissed the Sangha, sat near the young monk, and said, “Venerable sir, when did you penetrate this Dhamma?” He, not speaking of what was not, even by implication, said, “I have no supramundane Dhamma, great king.” “But, venerable sir, before this, has been fulfilled. Yes, great king, I am one who fulfills the duties of remembrance, and from the time I fulfilled that duty, the best share has fallen to me in the distribution. "Excellent, excellent, venerable sir, this is fitting for you!" Having worshipped, he departed. This is the story of "the best share falls to me in the distribution." But out of fear of Caṇḍāla Tissa, the villagers of Bhātaragāma fled without informing the Elderess Nāgā.