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having performed his duties early, having struck the bell, having assigned the ticket-meal to himself, goes to the assembly hall, he is the master of that meal. But whoever, while the monks are still performing their duties, having given two or three sweeps of the broom on the ground, having struck the bell, goes saying, "The ticket-meal in the distant village falls to me," that does not fall to him, because it was taken by theft; it belongs only to the monks who came later, having performed their duties and assigned it. One village is very far away, monks do not wish to go there regularly, people say, "We are excluded from merit." The monks who are near that village, who are of the same group, should be told, "You may eat on the coming days for these monks." But the tickets must be assigned daily. And indeed, they are not assigned merely by striking the bell or by shaking the basket. But taking the basket, the tickets must be scattered on a stool. But the basket should not be held by its rim. For if there were a snake or a scorpion there, it would cause suffering. Therefore, holding it from below, and turning the basket away, the tickets should be scattered, thinking, "Even if there is a snake, it will flee this way." Having scattered the tickets thus, they should be taken in the manner previously stated, according to village, etc. Moreover, having assigned one to the Mahāthera, and having assigned the rest to oneself, saying, "The remaining ones fall to me," having performed duties, having worshipped the cetiya, when the monks standing in the meditation hall say, "Are the tickets assigned, friend?" it should be said, "Yes, venerable sirs, you may take the ticket-meal in whichever village you go to." In this way, even if assigned, they are well-assigned. Monks going to another monastery for the whole night to listen to the Dhamma, should not take tickets, saying, "We will return after wandering for alms in our alms-round village without taking alms there." They go to the monastery to eat the ticket-meal in the elder's bowl. It is permissible. Then the great elder also, thinking "What shall I do here?", goes with them. When they, having gone to the monastery and not yet eaten, arrive at the alms-village, and say, "Give us, venerable sirs, the bowls, we will bring ticket-gruel and so on," the bowls should not be given. "Why, venerable sirs, do you not give them?" "The monastery-meal belongs to those who have stayed in the monastery. We have stayed in another monastery." But if they say, "Give us, venerable sirs, we do not give to the monastery's turn, we give to you. Take our alms," then it is permissible. The discourse on ticket-meals is concluded. 213. As for the fortnightly meals and so on, that which is given on the designated days, the fourteenth, fifteenth, fifth, and eighth days of these fortnights, by those engaged in good deeds, to remind them to observe the Uposatha, that is called a fortnightly meal. It is of the same nature as a ticket-meal. It should be taken and eaten. If both the ticket-meal and the fortnightly meal are abundant, and can be distributed to everyone, both meals should be taken separately. If the community of monks is large, the fortnightly meal should be taken, and for its turn, the ticket-meal should be taken. Or, the ticket-meal should be taken, and for its turn, the fortnightly meal should be taken. Those who do not receive it will go on alms-round. If both meals are abundant, and the monks are few, the ticket-meal is received daily. Therefore, setting that aside, it should be said, "Friends, eat the fortnightly meal," and only the fortnightly meal should be given. If they give a choice fortnightly meal, a separate turn should be made. Thinking "Tomorrow is the fortnight," the fortnightly meal should not be taken today. But if the donors say, "Tomorrow there will be a simple meal at our house, so designate the fortnightly meal today," then it is permissible. The Uposatha meal is that which is given on the Uposatha day every half-month, after undertaking the Uposatha precepts, and which one eats oneself. The first-day meal is that which (is given when) "on the Uposatha day, many faithful and devoted monks..." they offer respect to the monks, but on the first day of the fortnight, the bhikkhus are tired, a gift given on the first day of the fortnight is like a gift given during a famine, it has great fruit, or considering that a gift given on the second day, to those whose morality is purified by the Uposatha observance, has great fruit, a gift given on the first day of the fortnight. Both of these are also of the nature of ticket-food. Thus, these seven meals are not suitable for those who live on alms-food, they indeed break the ascetic practices. 214. Furthermore, in the chapter on robes (Mahāvagga 350), the four meals given to Visākhā after she requested a boon are mentioned in the Pāli: food for arriving guests, food for departing travelers, food for the sick, and food for those attending the sick. Among these, food given to arriving guests is guest-food. The same method applies to the rest. If there are many guest-meals and many guests, each should take one. If the meals are insufficient, they should be taken in order of seniority. If one guest arrives first and takes all the guest-food for himself and sits down, all of it belongs to him. The guests who arrive later should consume what is given by him. He should also take one for himself and give the rest. This is generosity. But if, having arrived first, he does not take for himself but sits silently, then it should be taken in turn with those who arrive later. If guests arrive regularly, it should be consumed on the day of arrival. If they arrive occasionally, it should be consumed for two or three days. In the Mahāpaccari, however, it is said that "it is permissible to consume for seven days." If a resident monk goes somewhere and returns, he too should consume guest-food. But if it is designated for the monastery, it should be taken at the monastery. If the monastery is far away, and it is designated for the assembly hall, it should be taken at the assembly hall. But if the donors say, "If there are no guests, let the resident monks also consume," it is permissible; but if not said, it is not permissible. The same method applies to food for departing travelers. This, however, A distinction – A newcomer receives only newcomer's food. A departing monk receives newcomer's food and departing monk's food. Even a resident monk, wishing to depart, becomes a departing monk, and receives departing monk's food. However, this, like newcomer's food, is not received for two, three, or seven days. Even if one has eaten saying 'I will go,' but for some reason did not go that day, it is proper to eat the next day due to one's resolve. If one has eaten saying 'I will go,' and robbers block the path, or water or rain falls, or the caravan does not proceed, one should eat with resolve. It is said in the Mahāpaccariya, 'Observing these obstacles, it is proper to eat for two or three days.' However, one should not eat by feigning 'I will go, I will go.' Sick-food too, if it suffices for all sick monks, should be given to all. If not, it should be taken by establishing a rule. One sick monk, though appearing healthy, can go into the village; another cannot. This one is called greatly sick; to him sick-food should be given. If there are two greatly sick monks, one is well-known and receives much food and drink; the other is helpless and enters the village with little gain. To this one, sick-food should be given. For sick-food, there is no time limit. As long as the illness does not subside, and one cannot sustain oneself without eating suitable food, one should eat. But when the illness does not flare up even after eating mixed gruel or mixed rice, from then on, one should not eat it. Attendant's food too, if it suffices for all, should be given to all. If it does not suffice, it should be taken by establishing a rule. This too, among two sick monks, should be taken by the attendant of the greatly sick one. Among two greatly sick monks, by the attendant of the helpless sick one. If a family gives both sick-food and attendant's food, there, for whichever sick monk sick-food is due, his attendant should also take it from there. For attendant's food too, there is no time limit. is not. As long as the sick person receives, so too does the attendant receive. If these four meals are given thus: "Let guests, travelers, the sick, and their attendants receive alms from us," then it is permissible even for alms-round monks. But if they are given thus: "We establish meals for the four, guests and so on; let them receive our meals," then it is not permissible for alms-round monks. 215. There are also three other meals: the regular meal, the dwelling meal, and the turn meal. Therein, "regular meal" means a constant meal. It is of two kinds: for the Sangha and for individuals. Therein, that which is established saying, "We give a regular meal to the Sangha," is like a ticket-meal. But if it is given saying, "Let them receive our regular alms," it is permissible even for alms-round monks. Even for individuals, if it is said, "I give you a regular meal," and he is an alms-round monk, it is not permissible. But if it is said, "Receive our regular alms," then it is permissible, it should be accepted. If after some days have passed, he says, "Receive the regular meal," it is permissible because it was well accepted at the root. The dwelling meal is that which is established after building a dwelling for the Sangha, saying, "Let those dwelling in our lodging receive only our meals." That is indeed like a ticket-meal; it should be taken and eaten. But if it is said, "Let those dwelling in our lodging receive only our alms," then it is permissible even for alms-round monks. But that which is given to an individual,