BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Sekhiya Chapter 1056. I will not, in an inhabited area, throw away bowl-rinsing waterthat has grains of rice in it: a training to be observed.The custom in those times, when bhikkhus were invited to eat at a lay person'shome, was for the donor to offer water to the bhikkhus to rinse out their bowlsbefore the meal and again after it. In both cases, each bhikkhu was to hold his bowlin both hands, receive the water into the bowl, swish it around without scraping it(against the ground or floor), and pour it into a receptacle if there was one — or onthe ground if not — taking care not to splash any nearby people or his own robes(Cv.VIII.4.4-6).This rule applies to the after-meal rinsing. The Vibhaṅga says that there is nooffense in throwing away bowl rinsing water if the rice grains are removed or if theyare squashed so as to dissolve in the water. Different editions of the Canon havevariant readings for the remaining non-offense clauses. According to the PTSedition, there is no offense "in having received or in having carried out," but it ishard to tell what having received would mean here. According to the reading givenin the Thai and Sri Lankan editions of the Canon, as well as the Commentary, thereis no offense "in a receptacle (paṭiggahe) or in having carried out." The reading"receptacle" here is supported by the Meal-hall Protocols in Cv.VIII.4.6 (BMC2,Chapter 9), and so is probably correct. Thus, as the Commentary explains, there isno offense in pouring the water with rice grains into a receptacle, nor is there anoffense in carrying the bowl containing water with rice grains outside the inhabitedarea to throw it away there.In addition to the above rules, the duties observed on alms round and in eating at alay person's home include the following points of etiquette:While on alms round. One should go unhurriedly, and stand neither too close to nortoo far from the donor (Cv.VIII.5.2).While eating in a home. One should select a seat that does not encroach on thesenior bhikkhus' spaces but that also does not preempt the seats of the junior ones(Cv.VIII.4.3).If there are any special foods, the most senior bhikkhu should tell the donor to makesure that everyone gets equal portions. He should also not begin eating untileveryone is served rice (Cv.VIII.4.4), nor should he accept water for rinsing his bowluntil everyone has finished eating (Cv.VIII.4.6).For more details, see BMC2, Chapter 9.The Vinaya-mukha notes that some of the rules and allowances in this sectionoutline table manners that would be regarded as either excessively fussy or messyby polite modern standards. Thus wherever ancient and modern codes of etiquetteare at variance, the wise policy would be to adhere to whichever code is morestringent on that particular point.451