English
he gave away all his requisites to someone, or someone took it on trust, to whom it was given, and by whom it was taken, it belongs to him, and according to his wish, the attendants of the sick receive it. Requisites placed far away, without being given to others, in various places, belong to the Saṅgha. Property of two, undivided, when one dies, the other is the owner. The same rule applies to the property of many. When all die, it belongs to the Saṅgha. Even if they give it to co-residents and others without dividing it, it is as if not given. But if given after dividing, it is well given. Even when they die, it belongs to the co-residents and others, not to the Saṅgha. If a bhikkhu who has completed the rains retreat, before the robes appear, or after they appear, or before they are divided, departs, or is insane, or deranged, or afflicted by pain, or suspended, a share should be given to suitable recipients who are present. If, however, he strays, or dies, or declares himself a novice, or renounces the training, or commits a final offense, or is a eunuch, or a thief-in-residence, or has gone over to another sect, or has become an animal, or a matricide, or a parricide, or an Arahant-slayer, or a defiler of bhikkhunīs, or a schismatic, or a blood-shedder, or declares himself to be of both sexes, the Saṅgha is the owner, no share should be given. If, for bhikkhus who have completed the rains retreat, before the robes appear, the Saṅgha splits, the Kosambaka bhikkhus... When there are two factions, there people give water of dedication and perfumes etc. to one faction, and to the other, they give robes, saying "We give to the Sangha." Or where water is given, and to that very faction they give robes, saying "We give to the Sangha," those robes belong to the Sangha, they accrue to both factions, and after striking the bell, they should be divided together by both factions. But if people give water of dedication and perfumes etc. to one faction, and to the other faction they give robes, saying "We give to the faction," those robes belong to that faction. When given thus, to whichever faction water is given, to that faction belongs the water. To whichever robes are given, to that faction belong the robes. In a region where water of dedication is the standard, there one faction receives robes because it received water of dedication, and the other receives robes because it received robes; thus, both should unite and divide according to seniority. "This, it is said, is the rule in the overseas countries," so it is stated in the Great Commentary. If to the faction to which water is given, to that very faction they give robes, saying "We give to the faction," those robes belong to that faction, and the other faction has no claim. But if, when robes have arisen for monks who have completed the Rains Retreat, and they are not divided, the Sangha splits, they should be divided equally among all. If, when many monks are on a journey, some monks go to a charnel ground for cast-off rags, and some depart without returning, a share should not be given unwillingly to those who do not return, but to those who do return, a share should be given even if unwillingly. But if people give, saying "Let those who have come here take them," or they go having made a sign, saying "Let those who arrive take them," they accrue to all who arrive. If they have left them and gone, by whom they are taken, that one is the owner. If some monks go to the charnel ground first, and some later, there those who went first obtain the cast-off rags, those who went later do not obtain them. "I allow, monks, that a share should not be given unwillingly to those who arrive late." Therefore, a share should not be given unwillingly to those who arrive late. But if all arrive at the same time, some receive, some do not receive. "I allow, monks, that a share may be given even unwillingly to those who arrive at the same time." Therefore, a share must be given even unwillingly to those who arrive at the same time. But if, having made an agreement outside, saying, "We will divide and take the received rag-robe," they enter the charnel ground, and some receive, some do not receive, "I allow, monks, that a share should be given unwillingly to those who arrive having made an agreement." Therefore, a share must be given unwillingly even to those who arrive having made an agreement. This is the discourse on the division of robes. 209. However, regarding the division of almsfood, "I allow, monks, a meal for the Sangha, a designated meal, an invited meal, a ticket meal, a fortnightly meal, an Uposatha meal, a first-day-of-the-month meal," among these Sangha-meals and so forth, thus permitted, this is the decision: A Sangha-meal is a meal to be given to the entire Sangha. Therefore, in a Sangha-meal, there is no such thing as a fixed quota. And for that very reason, it should not be said there, "We have been eating for ten or twelve days today, now bring other monks." Nor is it permissible to say, "We did not receive it on previous days, now let us take it." For it belongs to all who come, whoever they may be. However, regarding designated meals and so forth, this is the method: When sent by a king or a royal minister, saying, "Designate and bring so many monks from the Sangha," after announcing the time, the quota should be asked about. If there is one, it should be taken from that point onwards. If not, it should be taken starting from the seat of the elders. The designator should not bypass even the alms-round practitioners. But they, observing the ascetic practices, will bypass it themselves. When taken in this way, lazy senior elders come late. “Venerable sir, it is received by those of twenty years, your turn has passed,” should not be said. Setting aside the turn, it should be received for them, and afterwards received according to the turn. Hearing, “In such and such a monastery, much food for distribution has arisen,” monks come even from monasteries a league away. For those who have arrived, it should be received from the place where they stand. Even for those who have not arrived, but have entered the precinct boundary, when it is received by their disciples and so forth, it should indeed be received. They say, “Receive for those standing outside the precinct boundary.” It should not be received. If, having entered the precinct boundary, they are connected as one group, and are at the monastery gate or within the monastery itself, the boundary is said to be extended due to the assembly. Therefore, it should be received. Even if given to a junior monk of the Sangha, it should still be received for those who arrive later. However, in the second part, when the elder’s seat has been taken, the first part does not apply to those who arrive again. It should be received from the second part, according to seniority. In one monastery, having designated one place for food distribution, even if the precinct boundary is a gāvuta in extent, food for distribution announced anywhere should be received at that very place for food distribution. One person sends to one monk, “Tomorrow, having designated from the Sangha, send ten monks.” That meaning should be announced to the one distributing food. If he forgets on that day, it should be announced early on the second day. If, having forgotten, he remembers while entering for alms, as long as he has not crossed the precinct boundary, it should be received according to the usual turn of the refectory. Even if he has crossed the precinct boundary, and the monks are connected as one group with those at the precinct boundary, going without leaving a twelve-cubit distance from each other, it should be received according to the usual turn. However, if the monks are not so connected as one group, and he remembers at a place outside the precinct boundary, a new turn should be made there and received. If he remembers in the assembly hall within the village, it should be received according to the turn of the assembly hall. Ya Wherever it is remembered, it must be taken. It is not proper not to take it. For it is not obtained on the second day. If someone, seeing monks going from their own monastery to another monastery, causes a designated meal to be designated, as long as they are within the precincts, or connected in the manner stated with those at the boundary of the precincts, then it should be taken according to the custom of their own monastery. But if it is given to those standing outside the precincts, when it is said, "Venerable sirs, designate so many monks from the Sangha," it should be taken by those who have arrived. There, even those standing far away, connected without leaving a twelve-cubit interval, should be understood as having arrived. If they announce it to those who have entered the monastery they are going to, it should be taken according to the custom of that monastery. Even if someone, seeing monks at the village gate, or in the street, or at a crossroads, or inside a house, announces a Sangha designation, it should be taken by those who have entered the inner precinct at that particular place. Here, the house precinct should be understood in terms of: one house, one precinct; one house, multiple precincts; multiple houses, one precinct; and multiple houses, multiple precincts. Among these, a house belonging to one family with a single entrance is called a single precinct within the boundary of a single fall of water. A designated gain arising there accrues to all who are present in that single precinct, even those observing the alms-round practice. This is called one house, one precinct. But if one house is made with a wall in the middle for the comfortable living of two wives, with separate entrances, a designated gain arising there does not accrue to those on the other side of the wall; it accrues only to those seated in that particular place. This is called