Mahavogga 6.17

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-17.

1. Now the Lord Buddha journeying on in due course came to Rajagaha. And there at Rajagaha the Lord Buddha stayed at the Veluvana in the Kalandaka-nivapa.

Now at that time the Lord Buddha was troubled with wind in his stomach. And the venerable Ananda thinking, 'Now formerly the Lord Buddha when suffering from wind in the stomach had ease from Tekatula gruel,' made ready of his own accord tila seeds, and rice, and beans; and kept

them indoors; and cooked them indoors of his own accord, and offered them to the Lord Buddha, saying, 'Let the Lord Buddha drink this Tekatula gruel.'

2. Now the Tathagatas sometimes ask about what they know (&c., as usual, as, for instance, in I, 31, 5, down to the end).

And the Lord Buddha said to the venerable Ananda, 'From where, Ananda, is this gruel?'

Then the venerable Ananda told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

3. The Great Buddha rebuked him, saying, 'This is improper, Ananda, unbecoming, unsuitable, unworthy of Samanas(monks), not allowable, and ought to be avoided. How can you, Ananda, think (of permitting yourself) such abundance? Whatever, Ananda, is kept indoors, is not allowed; whatever is cooked indoors, is not allowed; and whatever is cooked of your own accord, is not allowed. This will not redound, Ananda, to the conversion of the unconverted.'

And when he had rebuked him, and delivered a dhamma discourse. he said to the Bhikkhus: Whatsoever is kept indoors, O Bhikkhus, or cooked indoors, or cooked of your own accord, is not to be eaten. Whosoever shall eat of that, is guilty of a dukkata offence.

4. 'And if, O Bhikkhus, there be food kept indoors, or cooked indoors, or cooked of your own accord, and one shall eat of that, he is guilty of three dukkata offences. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept indoors, and cooked indoors, shall have been so cooked by others, and one eat of that, he is guilty of two dukkata offences. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept indoors, shall have been cooked out of doors, and

so cooked of your own accord, and one eat of that, he is guilty of two dukkata offences.

5. 'If, O Bhikkhus, food kept out of doors shall have been cooked indoors, and of your own accord, and one eat of that he is guilty of two dukkata offences. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept indoors, shall have been cooked out of doors, and by others, and one eat of that, he is guilty of a dukkata offence. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept out of doors shall have been cooked indoors, and by others, and one eat of that, he is guilty of a dukkata offence. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept out of doors, shall have been cooked out of doors, and of your own accord, and one shall eat of that, he is guilty of a dukkata offence. If, O Bhikkhus, food kept out of doors, shall have been cooked out of doors, and by others, and one shall eat of that, he is not guilty.'

6. Now at that time, the Bhikkhus, thinking, 'Food cooked of one's own accord has been disallowed by the Lord Buddha,' feared to offend by cooking a second time food (already cooked once).

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cook food a second time.'

7. Now at that time there was a scarcity of food in Rajagaha. People brought salt, and oil, and rice, and hard food to the Arama(Park/Monastery). These the Bhikkhus kept out of doors; and vermin ate them, and thieves carried them off.

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to keep food indoors.'

When they kept it indoors, and cooked it out of doors, those men who practised self-mortification by living on the remains of offered food crowded round them; and the Bhikkhus ate in fear.

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cook indoors.'

In the time of scarcity, those who (by offering food, inviting Bhikkhus to their houses, &c.) made (the accepting or eating of food) allowable (to the Bhikkhus), used to take more (for themselves), and give less to the Bhikkhus.

I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cook of your own accord. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cook indoors, and of your own accord, food kept indoors.'

8. Now at that time a number of Bhikkhus who had spent the rainy season in the land of Kasi, and were journeying to Rajagaha to visit the Lord Buddha, did not receive on the way as full a supply as they required of food, either bitter or sweet. And there was plenty of eatable fruit, but there was no one to make it allowable for them. And those Bhikkhus went on in weariness to Rajagaha, to the Veluvana, in the Kalandaka-nivapa, where the Lord Buddha was. And when they had come there, they bowed down before the Lord Buddha, and took their seats on one side.

Now it is the custom of the Great Buddhas to exchange courteous greetings with Bhikkhus who arrive. And the Lord Buddha said to those Bhikkhus:

'Do things go well with you, O Bhikkhus? Do you get enough to support yourselves with? Have you accomplished your journey without too much fatigue? And from where, O Bhikkhus, have you come?'

9. 'Things go well with us, Lord. We have spent the rainy season in the land of Kasi; and as we were journeying to Rajagaha to visit the Lord Buddha, we did not receive on the way as full a supply as we required of food, either bitter or sweet. And there was plenty of eatable fruit, but there was no one to make it allowable for us. And we came on our way in weariness.'

Then the Lord Buddha, in that connection, after having delivered a dhamma discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: 'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, wherever edible fruit is seen and there is no one to make it allowable, to pick it of your own accord, and take it away. And when you see one who can make it allowable, you are to place it on the ground, and (only) eat it after you have received it again. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to take whatever (fruit) you have picked up.'