Mahavogga 6.24

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

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-25.

1. Now the people heard: 'The Lord Buddha has allowed (to the Bhikkhus to partake of) rice-milk and honey-lumps.' They prepared early in the morning solid rice-milk and honey-lumps. The Bhikkhus, having satiated themselves in the

morning with solid rice-milk and with honey-lumps, (afterwards) did not dine in the dining-hall with good appetite. At that time a certain minister, who was but newly converted, had invited the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head for the next day. Now this newly converted minister thought: 'What if I were to prepare for these twelve hundred and fifty Bhikkhus twelve hundred and fifty dishes of meat, and offer to each Bhikkhu one dish of meat!'

2. And when that night had elapsed, that newly converted minister ordered excellent food, both hard and soft, and twelve hundred and fifty dishes of meat to be prepared, and had meal-time announced to the Lord Buddha in the words: 'It is time, Lord, the meal is ready.' And in the forenoon the Lord Buddha, having put on his under-robes, took his alms-bowl, and, with his kivara on, went to the house of that newly converted minister. When he had arrived there, he sat down with the Bhikkhus who followed him, on seats laid out for them.

3. Then that newly converted minister in his dining-hall waited on the Bhikkhus. The Bhikkhus said to him: 'Give us little, friend; give us little, friend.'

'Do not take little, reverend Sirs, because you think: "This minister is but newly converted." Much food, both hard and soft, has been prepared by me, and twelve hundred and fifty dishes of meat; I will offer to each Bhikkhu one dish of meat. Take, reverend Sirs, as much as you want.'

'This is not the reason, friend, for which we take little. But we have satiated ourselves in the morning with solid rice-milk and with honey-lumps; therefore we take little.'

4. And that newly converted minister was annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can their reverences, when I have invited them, partake of solid rice-milk with other people, as if I were unable to give them as much as they want.' (Thinking thus), he went around angry, displeased, and in an offensive temper, filling the bowls of the Bhikkhus (and saying), 'Eat or take it away!' And that newly converted minister served and offered with his own hands excellent food, both hard and soft, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head; and when the Lord Buddha had finished his meal and cleansed his bowl and his hands, he sat down near him. And the Lord Buddha, after having taught, encouraged, animated, and gladdened that newly converted minister, who was sitting near him, by dhamma discourse, rose from his seat and went away.

5. And soon after the Lord Buddha was gone, scruples and remorse befell that newly converted minister: 'Alas, it is evil to me, it is not good to me! Alas, it is loss to me, it is not gain to me that I went around (among the Bhikkhus) angry, displeased, and in an offensive temper, filling their bowls (and saying), "Eat or take it away!" What have I produced by that, more merit or more demerit?'

And that newly converted minister went to the place where the Lord Buddha was; having approached him and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he sat down near him. Sitting near him, that newly converted minister said to the Lord Buddha: 'Lord, soon after the Lord Buddha was gone, scruples and remorse have befallen me: "Alas, it is evil to me

(&c., down to) more merit or more demerit?" Lord, what have I produced by that, more merit or more demerit?'

6. 'The moment, friend, in which you invited the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head for the next day, that moment you acquired much merit. And the moment in which each Bhikkhu received one lump of rice from you, that moment you acquired much merit. You gained the inheritance of heaven.'

Then that newly converted minister thought: 'Oh, it is good to me! Oh, it is gain to me! I have acquired much merit! I have gained the inheritance of heaven!'--and glad and joyful he rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, and passing round him with his right side towards him, went away.

7. In consequence of that, and on this occasion, the Lord Buddha, having ordered the fraternity of Bhikkhus to assemble, questioned the Bhikkhus: Is it true, O Bhikkhus, that the Bhikkhus, having been invited to one place, partake of solid rice-milk with other persons?'

'It is true, Lord.'

Then the Great Buddha rebuked those Bhikkhus: 'How can these foolish persons, O Bhikkhus, having been invited to one place, partake of solid rice-milk with other persons? This will not do, O Bhikkhus, for converting the unconverted,' &c. Having rebuked them and delivered a dhamma discourse, he thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, when he is invited to one place, partake of solid rice-milk with other persons. He who does, is to be treated according to the law.'