English
However, because it is received by way of a stick, "it should not be consumed" is stated in terms of impropriety, not in terms of breaking a dhutaṅga. For it is said in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi. 1.26): "A stick without food from the Saṅgha... and so on... is permissible." And in the Sāratthadīpanī (Sārattha. ṭī. Cūḷavagga 3.325): "A stick without food from the Saṅgha, and even cooked food in the monastery, is permissible," making it general, as stated in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi. 1.26). And since it is not specified "thus received, it should be consumed; thus, it should not be consumed," the intention here in "although medicine sticks, etc., are permissible even for alms-round practitioners, yet because they are received by way of a stick, they should not be consumed" should be investigated. For if medicine sticks, etc., received by way of a stick, were not to be consumed, it would not say, "A stick without food from the Saṅgha is permissible." And from the saying "extra gain, Saṅgha-food, designated food," etc. (Mahāva. 128), it is food received by way of a stick that is rejected, saying "I reject extra gain," not medicine. For only fourteen kinds of food, such as Saṅgha-food, are said by him not to be consumed. Or it is said that it should be understood that it is stated thus here according to the opinion of the Khandhaka reciters. "Foremost alms" means alms to be given first. "Only foremost alms" means only one ladleful of alms. "Whether received or not received, you may receive tomorrow as well" is said to mean even if received, due to being unmindful. Therefore, it says, "He receives as much as he needs... and so on... if he does not receive, he should be told, 'You may receive tomorrow.'" For here, the word "only" in "only foremost alms" negates abundance. "Stick-food" is designated only in the monastery, and is given with reference to the monastery itself. Therefore, it says, "But what is not brought to the monastery," etc. "There, in the assembly hall" means in the assembly hall in that village. "Monastery" It should be brought and received, having said thus, the meal given on that day should be brought to the monastery and received by the community. Therein: in that direction. Having taken it: having taken that village-ticket oneself. By him: by him who gave the ticket to the one going in that direction, in the village where his turn for the ticket was. The ticket should be received from him before he crosses: since the ticket is due only to one within the boundary of the precincts, therefore, before that one going in that direction crosses the boundary of the precincts, the ticket due to that one going in that direction should be made to reach oneself and be received. It should be made to reach daily: it should be made to reach anyone within the boundary of the precincts, according to seniority. Thus, in these future cases, it is proper for monks to eat in a nearby monastery; otherwise, it becomes communal property. On a future day: here, how is the coming and not coming of those monks known? Since monks coming from various places gather in the assembly hall in that village, therefore, their coming and not coming can be known. In our alms-resort village: in the village of those who give ticket-meals. They come to eat: thinking, "The great elder, being alone left in the monastery, has certainly made all the tickets reach himself and is staying there," they come. The explanation of the ticket-meal story is finished. Explanation of the story of fortnightly meals, etc. 213. A meal to be given on the four designated fortnightly days is a fortnightly meal. In "designated": here "abhi" is merely an intensifier, the meaning is "to be marked," it is said to be "to be marked, to be noted, to be observed" for the purpose of undertaking Uposatha, listening to Dhamma, making offerings, and showing respect, etc. Tomorrow is the fortnight: the fortnightly meal should not be received today. It should be eaten on the eighth day, it should not be received for eating on the seventh day. It means it should be received only on the day appointed by the donors. Therefore, it is said, "If, however," etc. Tomorrow is coarse: today, because of a wedding ceremony, etc., very exquisite food is prepared; tomorrow it will not be so. Today, alms... is the intention, "I will feed them." However, in the Sāratthadīpanī (Sārattha. Ṭī. Cūḷavagga 3.325), it is stated otherwise. Showing the distinction of Uposatha-meal from fortnightly meal, it says, "having undertaken the Uposatha constituents," and so on. The meal to be given on Uposatha is Uposatha-meal. The explanation of the discourse on fortnightly meals and so on is finished. The explanation of the discourse on guest meals and so on 214. "Arranged" means "May guests eat in such and such a monastery," thus specified. "A traveler's guest meal too" is said with reference to one who comes from another village, stays with a traveling mind, not yet settled, and then goes elsewhere. For a resident who intends to travel, only a traveler's meal is allowed. Since it is said, "having cast a pretext," it should be understood that it is permissible to eat until the impediment to departure ceases, due to the absence of a pretext. The explanation of the discourse on fixed meals and so on 215. They send rice and so on... (pe)... it is permissible because it is food brought for alms. 216. "Similarly received" means received in the name of alms. "Having filled the bowl and covered it, given" means given with the words, "We give a lump of food." The rest is easily understood. The explanation of the discourse on alms-food distribution is finished. The explanation of the discourse on sick requisites distribution 217. From here on, although the discourse on lodging distribution should be spoken in the order of requisites, because of its vast scope, and because the discourse on sick requisites distribution has a limited scope, and because it is in sequence with the discourse on alms-food distribution, to show it immediately after that, it says, "But the sick requisites distribution," and so on. There, "kings, royal ministers" is merely an illustrative example. Brahmins, great householders, and great laymen also do likewise. "Having struck the bell," and so on, is easily understood because it is stated in the manner mentioned below and is obvious. "The boundary of the precinct... (pe)... should be distributed" is said because it is given to the Sangha. "Having tilted the pot" means having turned the pot towards a cardinal direction. "If the ghee is thick" means if the ghee is hard. Even a little, a little. It is proper to make it reach. When this is done, the established rule also stands. And by this, "medicines like ginger and pepper, and the remaining requisites for ascetics like bowls and plates," it shows that not only medicine is a requisite for the sick, but also the remaining requisites are included in the requisites for the sick. The explanation of the section on requisites for the sick is finished. Explanation of the section on receiving lodgings. 218. In the section on the distribution of lodgings, it speaks of the decision in receiving lodgings, meaning the distribution of lodgings itself. There, the arrangement is that the receiving of lodgings is of two kinds according to time: the receiving of lodgings in season, and the receiving of lodgings during the rainy season. There, "in season" means in the winter and summer seasons. "During the rainy season" means in the rainy season. A lodging should be given by making a bhikkhu rise; there is no "improper time" because the lodging is given to the Sangha by donors saying, "I give this to the Sangha of the four directions, those who have come and those who have not come." "Each cell" means one cell for each bhikkhu. "There" means in that received cell. "Long hall" means a walking hall. "Round pavilion" means a service hall. "It burns" means it oppresses. "One cannot not give" - by this, it shows that it is a dukkaṭa (wrongdoing) because intentionally not giving enters into obstruction. "But in Jambudīpa" refers to bhikkhus in the noble land. They, it is said, make such arrangements. 219. "The village for alms-round should be approached" - this clarifies the stated meaning with "people there should not be spoken to," and so on. "Having cut off thought" means not generating such a thought as, "Seeing me going in this manner, they will stop me and give requisites." "If one of them" means one wise person among those people. "Covering goods" means goods for covering; "covering the body" means robes, that is the meaning. "Blameless due to purity of mind" - this is not said with reference to explaining the reason at the moment of asking, because there is no fault in answering a asked question even for one with an impure mind. But it should be understood that it is said with reference to not going with the perception, "If I go like this, they will ask me." . Things to be taken care of means to be taken care of by repairing broken things, sweeping, and so on. At the circular railing means at the railing of the shrine, at the square railing above the pot-shaped structure. Where should it be asked? means where it is naturally obtained, there it should be asked— that is the answer. Why should it be asked? and so on, means where it is naturally obtained, even there it is said to show the reason for asking. Having withdrawn means having moved away from the monastery. Showing that meaning, he said, "It is at a distance of one or two leagues." A deposit means a field or a coconut grove, or money, and so on, given to the monastery attendants, saying, "The income from this should be for the vassa-residence." Having performed the duty means having performed the duty to be done in that dwelling. Thus, a donation of faith means that it is a matter of gain for the vassa-residence, to be given with faith, in the manner stated below.