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172
MAHẬVAGGA.
1, 30, 1.'
30.
1. At that time an arrangement had been made at Ragagaha that the Bhikkhus were to receive excellent meals successively (in the houses of different rich upâsakas). Now (one day) a certain Brâhmana thought: 'Indeed the precepts which these Sakyaputtiya Samanas keep and the life they live are commodious; they have good meals and lie down on beds protected from the wind? What if I were to embrace the religious life among the Sakyaputtiya Samanas?' Then this Brâhmana went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbaggâ ordination ; the Bhikkhus conferred the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations on him.
2. When he had been ordained, the arrangement of successive meals (with the rich upâsakas) came to an end. The Bhikkhus said to him: 'Come, friend, let us now go on our rounds for alms.'
He replied: 'I have not embraced the religious life for that purpose-to going about for alms; if you give me (food), I will eat; if you do not, I will return to the world.
(The Bhikkhus said): “What, friend! have you indeed embraced the religious life for your belly's sake?'
"Yes, friends.'
3. The moderate Bhikkhus were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: ‘How can a Bhikkhu embrace the religious life in so well-taught a doctrine and discipline for his belly's sake ?'
It
1 On this curious expression, compare Kullavagga IV, 4, 8. is frequently repeated below.
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