Vinaya — Regras dos Monges (Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga) — Visiting families before a meal

1First substory
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, a family that was supporting Venerable Upananda the Sakyan had invited him to a meal, and they had invited other monks too. But since Upananda was visiting other families before that meal, the other monks said to that family, “Please give the meal.”

2“Please wait, sirs, until Venerable Upananda arrives.”

3A second time … A third time those monks said, “Please give the meal before it is too late.”

4“But we prepared the meal because of Venerable Upananda. Please wait until he arrives.”

5Then, after visiting those families, Upananda arrived late, and those monks did not eat as much as they had intended. The monks of few desires complained and criticized Upananda, “How can Venerable Upananda visit families first when invited to a meal?” … “Is it true, Upananda, that you do this?”

6“It’s true, sir.”

7The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

8First preliminary ruling
‘If a monk who has been invited to a meal visits families beforehand, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

9In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

10Second substory
Soon afterwards a family that was supporting Upananda sent fresh food to the Sangha. They instructed that the food should be shown to Upananda and then given to the Sangha.

11But on that occasion Upananda had gone to the village for alms. When those people arrived at the monastery, they asked for Upananda, and they were told where he was. They said, “Venerables, after showing it to Venerable Upananda, this fresh food is to be given to the Sangha.” The monks told the Buddha, who then gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, receive it and put it aside until Upananda returns.”

12When he heard that the Buddha had prohibited visiting families before the meal, Upananda visited them after the meal instead. As a consequence, he returned late to the monastery, and the food had to be returned to the donors.

13The monks of few desires complained and criticized Upananda, “How can Venerable Upananda visit families after the meal?” … “Is it true, Upananda, that you do this?”

14“It’s true, sir.”

15The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

16Second preliminary ruling
‘If a monk who has been invited to a meal visits families beforehand or afterwards, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

17In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

18Third substory
Soon afterwards it was the robe-giving season. But being afraid of wrongdoing, the monks did not visit families. As a result, they only got a small amount of robe-cloth. They told the Buddha. …

19“Monks, I allow you to visit families during the robe-giving season.

20And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

21Third preliminary ruling
‘If a monk who has been invited to a meal visits families beforehand or afterwards, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession. This is the appropriate occasion: it is the robe-giving season.’”

22In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

23Fourth substory
Soon afterwards the monks were making robes, and they needed a needle, thread, and scissors. But being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not visit families. They told the Buddha. …

24“Monks, I allow you to visit families at a time of making robes.

25And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

26Fourth preliminary ruling
‘If a monk who has been invited to a meal visits families beforehand or afterwards, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession. These are the appropriate occasions: it is the robe-giving season; it is a time of making robes.’”

27In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

28Fifth substory
Soon afterwards there were sick monks who needed medicines. But being afraid of wrongdoing, the monks did not visit families. They told the Buddha. …

29“Monks, I allow you to visit families after informing an available monk.

30And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

31Final ruling
‘If a monk who has been invited to a meal visits families beforehand or afterwards without informing an available monk, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession. These are the appropriate occasions: it is the robe-giving season; it is a time of making robes.’”

32Definitions
A:

33whoever …

34Monk:

35… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

36Invited:

37invited to eat any of the five cooked foods.

38To a meal:

39the invitation includes a meal.

40An available monk:

41he is able to inform and then enter.

42No available monk:

43he is not able to inform and then enter.

44Beforehand:

45he has not yet eaten what he has been invited to eat.

46Afterwards:

47even if he has just eaten what fits on the tip of a blade of grass from what he has been invited to eat.

48A family:

49there are four kinds of families: the aristocratic family, the brahmin family, the merchant family, the worker family.

50Visits families:

51if he enters the vicinity of someone else’s house, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he crosses the threshold with the first foot, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he crosses the threshold with the second foot, he commits an offense entailing confession.

52Except on an appropriate occasion:

53unless it is an appropriate occasion.

54It is the robe-giving season:

55for one who has not participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is the last month of the rainy season. For one who has participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is the five-month period.

56It is a time of making robes:

57when he is making robes.

58Permutations
If he has been invited, and he perceives that he has, and he visits families beforehand or afterwards without informing an available monk, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he has been invited, but he is unsure of it, and he visits families beforehand or afterwards without informing an available monk, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he has been invited, but he does not perceive that he has, and he visits families beforehand or afterwards without informing an available monk, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.

59If he has not been invited, but he perceives that he has, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he has not been invited, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he has not been invited, and he does not perceive that he has, there is no offense.

60Non-offenses
There is no offense: if it is an appropriate occasion; if he enters after informing an available monk; if, when there is no available monk, he enters without informing anyone; if the road passes someone else’s house; if the road passes the vicinity of someone else’s house; if he is going between monasteries; if he is going to a nunnery; if he is going to the dwelling place of the monastics of another religion; if he is returning to the monastery; if he is going to the house where he has been invited; if there is an emergency; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

61The training rule on visiting families before a meal, the sixth, is finished.