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one should sit inside the house. Not with hands on hips, not with head covered, not with legs crossed, one should sit inside the house. One should not sit pressing against elder bhikkhus. If there is a seat level with the seat of the great elder, when there are many seats, one should sit leaving one or two seats (between). Counting the bhikkhus, not sitting on the seats arranged, one should sit when told "Sit down" by the great elder. If the great elder does not speak, one should say, "This seat, venerable sir, is high." When told "Sit down," one should sit. But if, even when asked thus, he does not speak, there is no offense for the one sitting, the offense is for the great elder. For a novice, sitting on such a seat without asking incurs an offense. For an elder, not granting permission when asked (incurs an offense). Novice bhikkhus should not be prevented from a seat. Nor should one sit inside the house spreading out the outer robe. When water for washing the bowl is offered, taking the bowl with both hands, one should receive the water. But the water for rinsing (the right hand) should be taken by placing the bowl on the stand in front. Making it low, not making a sound of water, not splashing, the bowl should be washed. If there is a water-receiver, making it low, water should be poured into the water-receiver. "Lest the water-receiver be splashed with water, lest nearby bhikkhus be splashed with water..." They might splash, lest the outer robe be splashed with water. If there is no water-receiver, the water should be poured low onto the ground, "Lest the surrounding monks be splashed with water, lest the outer robe be splashed with water." When rice is being served, the bowl should be received with both hands, and the rice should be received. Rice should be taken in such a measure that there is room for soup. If there is ghee or oil or extra relish, the elder should say, "Distribute equally to all." This should be said not only for ghee and the like, but also for rice. However, regarding ghee and the like, if there is little, suitable for one or two, and it is said, "Distribute equally to all," it causes trouble for people. Therefore, such a thing should be taken once or twice, and the rest should not be taken. The almsfood should be received carefully. The almsfood should be received with mindfulness of the bowl. The almsfood should be received with equal soup and equal level. The elder should not eat until rice has reached everyone. This is said with reference to a meal hall with a limited number of monks, where people wish to serve everyone and then pay homage. But where there is a large meal hall, where they eat in one area, and water is given in another area, there one should eat as one pleases. The almsfood should be eaten carefully. The almsfood should be eaten with mindfulness of the bowl. The almsfood should be eaten in sequence. The almsfood should be eaten with equal soup. The almsfood should not be eaten by pressing down from a heap. Soup or curry should not be covered with rice out of a desire for more. Soup or rice should not be requested for oneself by one who is not sick, and then eaten. One should not look at others' bowls with a fault-finding mind. A mouthful should not be too large. The morsel should be made round. The mouth should not be opened before the mouthful is brought. While eating, the whole hand should not be put into the mouth. not to be thrown. Not to speak with a mouthful. Not to eat throwing up lumps. Not to eat breaking off portions. Not to eat stuffing the cheeks. Not to eat shaking the hands. Not to eat scattering grains of rice. Not to eat sticking out the tongue. Not to eat making a 'capu capu' sound. Not to eat making a 'suru suru' sound. Not to eat licking the hands. Not to eat licking the bowl. Not to eat licking the lips. Not to receive the water-pot with a hand soiled with food. Not for the elder to receive the hand-washing water until all have finished eating. If people say, "Wash, venerable sirs, the bowl and the hands," or if monks say, "You take the water," it is permissible. When water is given, the bowl should be received with both hands, and the water should be received. The bowl should be washed by lowering it, without making a sound with the water, without splashing. If there is a water-receiver, the water should be poured into the water-receiver, lowering it, (thinking) "May the water-receiver not be splashed with water, may the nearby monks not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water." If there is no water-receiver, the water should be poured onto the ground, lowering it, (thinking) "May the nearby monks not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water." The bowl-washing water with grains of rice should not be thrown out inside the house. Rising from the refectory, when returning, the junior monks should return first, afterwards the elders. For in crowded houses, there is no room for the great elders to exit. Therefore, it is said thus. When returning in this way, the junior monks should stand at the house door, and as the elders exit, they should go in order. But if the great elders are seated at the head, and the junior monks are inside the house, they should exit in order, starting from the elder's seat, without bumping body against body, so that people can pass between, they should go in a loose line. "I allow, monks, for the elder "By a bhikkhu, at the meal's end, thanks should be given" (Cūḷava. 362). Thus, by the elder of the Sangha, at the meal's end, thanks should be given. Leaving him alone, the others should not go. "I allow, monks, at the meal's end, four or five elder and junior bhikkhus to wait" (Cūḷava. 362). Thus, when the elder of the Sangha is seated for giving thanks, four should be seated below him, in order. When a junior elder is seated, the great elder and three below him should be seated. When a fifth is seated, four above him should be seated. Even if a young bhikkhu below the elder of the Sangha is requested, four should be seated, starting from the elder of the Sangha. But if the bhikkhu giving thanks says, "Go, sirs, there is no need to wait," it is permissible to go. If the great elder says, "Let us go, friends," and he says, "Go," that is also permissible. Even by thinking, "We will wait outside the village," and going outside the village, and telling his dependents, "You wait for his coming," it is permissible to go. But if people have one bhikkhu give thanks according to their wish, there is no offense for that bhikkhu giving thanks, nor is it a burden for the great elder. Indeed, when people are speaking in a seated discussion, the elder should be asked. And the great elder, being requested for giving thanks, should wait – this is the rule here. "I allow, monks, if there is a need, one may ask the immediately next bhikkhu and go" (Cūḷava. 362). However, by one afflicted by calls of nature, etc., the immediately next bhikkhu should be asked and one should go. This is the duty at the meal's end. 189. Now, regarding the duty of the alms-round bhikkhu: When an alms-round bhikkhu thinks, "Now I will enter the village," he should cover the three circles, wear the lower robe neatly, tie the waist-band, make the outer robes good, put them on, untie the knot, wash, take his bowl, and enter the village carefully, without haste. Well-covered, within the houses... And so on, "are to go," all this should be understood here too, in the manner stated in the rules for the refectory. By one entering a house, it should be noted: "I will enter by this, I will exit by this." One should not enter too hastily. One should not stand too far, nor too near. One should not stand too long. One should not turn back too quickly. By one standing, it should be noted: "Are they desirous of giving alms, or not desirous of giving alms?" If they lay down work, or rise from a seat, or touch a ladle, or touch a dish, or put it down, one should stand, thinking: "They are desirous of giving." When alms are being given, having raised the outer robe with the left hand, having extended the bowl with the right hand, having received the bowl with both hands, alms should be received. Be it a woman or a man, at the time of giving alms, the face should not be looked at. It should be noted: "Are they desirous of giving curry, or not desirous of giving curry?" If they touch a ladle, or touch a dish, or put it down, one should stand, thinking: "They are desirous of giving." When alms have been given, having covered the bowl with the outer robe, one should turn back properly, without haste. Whoever returns first from the village for alms, by him a seat should be spread. Foot-water, a foot-stool, a foot-mat should be placed. A refuse-bowl, having been washed, should be set out. Drinking water and rinsing water should be set out. Whoever returns last from the village for alms, if there is leftover food, if he desires, it should be eaten. If he does not desire, it should be thrown on grass without living creatures, or submerged in water without living creatures. By him the seat should be removed. Foot-water, foot-stool, foot-mat should be put away. A refuse-bowl, having been washed, should be put away. Drinking water and rinsing water should be put away. The refectory should be swept. Whoever sees a water pot, or a rinsing water pot, or a urinal pot empty and hollow, by him it should be filled. If it is beyond his strength, Having invited a second time with a gesture of the hand, it should be served with a hand-gesture, and on that account speech should not be broken. This is the alms-round duty. 190. In the duty of the forest-dweller: By the forest-dwelling monk, having risen early, having put the bowl into the bag, having hung it on the shoulder, having placed the robe on the shoulder, having put on the sandals, having put away wooden articles, and earthen articles,