________________
8A
MAHẬVAGGA.
VI, 23, 8.
with the tiny hairs thereon;'-(thinking thus), joyful and elated they served and offered with their own hands excellent food, both hard and soft, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head. And when the Blessed One had finished his meal, and cleansed his bowl and his hands, they sat down near him. And the Blessed One, after having taught, incited, animated, and gladdened Suppiya, the lay-devotee, and Suppiya, the laydevotee, by religious discourse, rose from his seat and went away.
8. In consequence of that, and on this occasion, the Blessed One, having ordered the fraternity of Bhikkhus to assemble, questioned the Bhikkhus: Who was it, О Bhikkhus, who asked Suppiya, the lay-devotee, for meat ?'
When he had spoken thus, that Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: 'It is I, Lord, who asked Suppiya, the lay-devotee, for meat.'
Has it been brought to you, O Bhikkhu?' • It has been brought, Lord.' Have you eaten it, О Bhikkhu?'
I have eaten it, Lord.' *And did you enquire, O Bhikkhus, (what) meat it was ?'
Lord! I did not enquire about that.'
9. Then the blessed Buddha rebuked him: 'How can you, O foolish one, eat meat without having enquired (what it is)? It is man's flesh, O foolish one, which you have eaten. This will not do, O foolish one, for converting the unconverted,' (&c.)
Having rebuked him and delivered a religious discourse, he thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'There are, O Bhikkhus, believing, pious people who give
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