1.0.1Origin story

1.0.2First substory

1.1PTS 4.76Tena samayena buddho bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.At one time when the Buddha was staying in the house with the peaked roof in the Great Wood near Vesālī,1.2Tena kho pana samayena vesāliyaṁ paṇītānaṁ bhattānaṁ bhattapaṭipāṭi adhiṭṭhitā hoti.a succession of fine meals had been arranged in Vesālī.1.3Atha kho aññatarassa daliddassa kammakārassa etadahosi—“na kho idaṁ orakaṁ bhavissati yathayime manussā sakkaccaṁ bhattaṁ karonti; yannūnāhampi bhattaṁ kareyyan”ti.A certain poor worker thought, “Why don’t I prepare a meal? It must be really worthwhile, seeing as these people prepare a meal with such respect.”

1.4Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro yena kirapatiko tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ kirapatikaṁ etadavoca—“icchāmahaṁ, ayyaputta, buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa bhattaṁ kātuṁ.He then went to his boss Kira and said, “Sir, I wish to prepare a meal for the Sangha of monks headed by the Buddha.1.5Dehi me vetanan”ti.Please give me my salary.”1.6Sopi kho kirapatiko saddho hoti pasanno.Because Kira also had faith and confidence,1.7Atha kho so kirapatiko tassa daliddassa kammakārassa abbhātirekaṁ vetanaṁ adāsi.he gave the worker his salary and much extra.1.8Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so daliddo kammakāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—Soon afterwards that worker went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down, and said,1.9“adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā”ti.“Sir, please accept a meal from me tomorrow together with the Sangha of monks.”

1.10“Mahā kho, āvuso, bhikkhusaṅgho, jānāhī”ti.“The Sangha is large.”

1.11“Hotu, bhante, mahā bhikkhusaṅgho.“No problem!1.12Bahū me badarā paṭiyattā badaramissena peyyā paripūrissantī”ti.I’ve prepared much jujube, supplemented with jujube drinks.”1.13Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.The Buddha consented by remaining silent, and the worker understood.

1.14Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.He got up from his seat, circumambulated the Buddha with his right side toward him, and left.

1.15Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū—“daliddena kira kammakārena svātanāya buddhappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho nimantito, badaramissena peyyā paripūrissantī”ti.The monks heard that a poor worker had invited the Sangha of monks headed by the Buddha on the following day for a meal supplemented with jujube drinks.1.16Te kālasseva piṇḍāya caritvā bhuñjiṁsu.And so they ate in the morning after walking for alms.

1.17Assosuṁ kho manussā—“daliddena kira kammakārena buddhappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho nimantito”ti. Te daliddassa kammakārassa pahūtaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ abhihariṁsu.When people heard that a poor worker had invited the Sangha of monks headed by the Buddha for a meal, they brought much food of various kinds to him.1.18Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro tassā rattiyā accayena paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi—“kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan”ti.The following morning that worker prepared his food, and then had the Buddha informed that the meal was ready.

1.19Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa daliddassa kammakārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Sangha of monks, went to the house of that poor worker where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall.1.20Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro bhattagge bhikkhū parivisati. Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu—The worker served the monks, but they kept saying,1.21“thokaṁ, āvuso, dehi. Thokaṁ, āvuso, dehī”ti.“Give just a little.”

1.22“Mā kho tumhe, bhante, ‘ayaṁ daliddo kammakāro’ti thokaṁ thokaṁ paṭiggaṇhittha.“Venerables, don’t accept so little because you think I’m just a poor worker.1.23Pahūtaṁ me khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyattaṁ.I’ve prepared much food of various kinds.1.24Paṭiggaṇhatha, bhante, yāvadatthan”ti.Please accept as much as you like.”

1.25“Na kho mayaṁ, āvuso, etaṅkāraṇā thokaṁ thokaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma.“We’re not accepting so little because of that,1.26Api ca, mayaṁ kālasseva piṇḍāya caritvā bhuñjimhā; tena mayaṁ thokaṁ thokaṁ paṭiggaṇhāmā”ti.but because we ate in the morning after walking for alms.”

1.27Atha kho so daliddo kammakāro ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—That poor worker complained and criticized them,1.28“kathañhi nāma bhadantā mayā nimantitā aññatra bhuñjissanti.“How could the venerables eat elsewhere when invited by me?1.29Na cāhaṁ paṭibalo yāvadatthaṁ dātun”ti?Am I not able to give as much as they need?”

1.30PTS 4.77Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tassa daliddassa kammakārassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa.The monks heard the complaints of that worker,1.31Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,1.32“kathañhi nāma bhikkhū aññatra nimantitā aññatra bhuñjissantī”ti …pe…“How could those monks eat elsewhere when invited for a meal?” …1.33“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū aññatra nimantitā aññatra bhuñjantī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that monks did this?”

1.34“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.35Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.36kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā aññatra nimantitā aññatra bhuñjissanti.“How could those foolish men do this?1.37Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.38evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.39.0First preliminary ruling

1.39.1“Paramparabhojane pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk eats a meal before another, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

1.40Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

2.0Second substory

2.1Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu gilāno hoti.Soon afterwards a certain monk became sick.2.2Aññataro bhikkhu piṇḍapātaṁ ādāya yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca—“bhuñjāhi, āvuso”ti.Another monk took some almsfood, went to that monk, and told him to eat it.

2.3“Alaṁ, āvuso, atthi me bhattapaccāsā”ti.“I can’t. I’m expecting another meal.”

2.4Tassa bhikkhuno piṇḍapāto ussūre āharīyittha. So bhikkhu na cittarūpaṁ bhuñji.But since that almsfood only arrived at midday, that monk did not get to eat as much as he had intended.2.5Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.They told the Buddha.2.6Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

2.7“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānena bhikkhunā paramparabhojanaṁ bhuñjituṁ.“Monks, I allow a sick monk to eat a meal before another.

2.8Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

2.9.0Second preliminary ruling

2.9.1“Paramparabhojane, aññatra samayā, pācittiyaṁ.‘If a monk eats a meal before another, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.10Tatthāyaṁ samayo. Gilānasamayo—ayaṁ tattha samayo”ti.This is the appropriate occasion: he is sick.’”

2.11Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

3.0Third substory

3.1Tena kho pana samayena manussā cīvaradānasamaye sacīvarabhattaṁ paṭiyādetvā bhikkhū nimantenti—“bhojetvā cīvarena acchādessāmā”ti.Soon afterwards, during the robe-giving season, people prepared a meal together with robe-cloth and then invited the monks, saying, “We wish to offer a meal and give robe-cloth.”3.2Bhikkhū kukkuccāyantā nādhivāsenti—“paṭikkhittaṁ bhagavatā paramparabhojanan”ti.But knowing that the Buddha had prohibited eating a meal before another and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not accept.3.3Cīvaraṁ parittaṁ uppajjati.As a result, they only got a small amount of robe-cloth.3.4Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…They told the Buddha. …

3.5anujānāmi, bhikkhave, cīvaradānasamaye paramparabhojanaṁ bhuñjituṁ.“Monks, I allow you to eat a meal before another during the robe-giving season.

3.6Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

3.7.0Third preliminary ruling

3.7.1“Paramparabhojane, aññatra samayā, pācittiyaṁ.‘If a monk eats a meal before another, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.3.8Tatthāyaṁ samayo. Gilānasamayo, cīvaradānasamayo—ayaṁ tattha samayo”ti.These are the appropriate occasions: he is sick; it is the robe-giving season.’”

3.9Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

3.10.0Fourth substory

3.10.1Tena kho pana samayena manussā cīvarakārake bhikkhū bhattena nimantenti.Soon afterwards people invited the robe-making monks for a meal.3.11Bhikkhū kukkuccāyantā nādhivāsenti—“paṭikkhittaṁ bhagavatā paramparabhojanan”ti.But knowing that the Buddha had prohibited eating a meal before another and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not accept.3.12Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…They told the Buddha. …

3.13anujānāmi, bhikkhave, cīvarakārasamaye paramparabhojanaṁ bhuñjituṁ.“Monks, I allow you to eat a meal before another at a time when you are making robes.

3.14Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: