BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

The Food Chapter Chapter 8.4sale or for a party, banquet, or reception, etc., should be covered by this rule aswell.Protocol. If a bhikkhu has accepted two or three bowlfuls of such items, then on hisreturn from there he should tell every bhikkhu he sees, "I accepted two or threebowlfuls over there. Don't you accept anything there." He incurs a dukkaṭa if, seeinga bhikkhu, he does not tell him, while there is a dukkaṭa for the other bhikkhu if,having been told, he accepts anything at the place in question. According to theCommentary, if the first bhikkhu accepts two bowlfuls, he should tell the secondbhikkhu to accept no more than one, and all other bhikkhus he meets that theyshould not accept anything. If he accepts only one bowlful, he should follow asimilar process so that, all-in-all, the bhikkhus accept a total of no more than three.The Commentary states further that a bhikkhu receiving two or three bowlfuls maykeep one bowlful and do as he likes with it, but must share the remainder among anentire Community, i.e., not just among his friends. A bhikkhu receiving only onebowlful may do with it as he likes .Non-offenses. The Vibhaṅga states that there is no offense in taking more thanthree bowlfuls of items not intended as presents or provisions, of items left overfrom preparing presents or provisions, or of provisions remaining when plans for ajourney have been abandoned. As explained above, the Vinaya-mukha wouldinclude items prepared for sale or for parties, etc., under the word provisions here.The Vibhaṅga also says that there is no penalty in accepting more than threebowlfuls from relatives or from those who have offered an invitation. Here theCommentary states that if such people give more than three bowlfuls outright, onemay accept them without penalty, but if they tell one to take as much as one likesfrom items prepared as presents or provisions, the proper course is to take only twoor three bowlfuls.Also, there is no offense in having more than three bowlfuls of presents orprovisions purchased with one's own resources.Finally, the Vibhaṅga says that there is no offense in taking extra for the sake ofanother. Neither the Commentary nor Sub-commentary discusses this point, but theonly way it can make sense in the context of this rule is if it refers to cases wherethe bhikkhu takes extra for the sake of another not on his own initiative, but becausethe donor asks him to.Summary: Accepting more than three bowlfuls of food that the donors prepared fortheir own use as presents or as provisions for a journey is a pācittiya offense.317