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SECOND BOOK
FIRST PART 1
FIRST LECTURE,
CALLED BEGGING OF FOOD 2.
FIRST LESSON WHEN a male or a female mendicant, having entered the abode of a householder with the intention of collecting alms, recognises: food, drink, dainties, and spices as affected by, or mixed up with, living beings, mildew, seeds or sprouts, or wet with water, or covered with dust-either in the hand or the pot of another they should not, even if they can get it, accept of such food, thinking that it is impure and unacceptable 6. (I)
But if perchance they accept of such food, under pressing circumstances, they should go to a secluded spot, a garden, or a monk's hall-where there are no
1 Kūdâ.
2 Pindaishanâ. * This is the typical beginning of most precepts or sätras in this kudâ: se bhikkhô và bhikkhua và gahavaikulam pimdavâyapadiyae anupavitthe samâne se ggam puna gâneggâ. In the sequel I have shortened this rather lengthy preamble.
* By the other is meant the householder or the giver (dâtre).
* This is the typical conclusion of all prohibitions : aphâsuyam anesaniggam ti mannamâne lâbhe samte no padiggâheggâ. In the translation the plural is used throughout, in order to avoid the necessity of always repeating 'he or she.'
• As e. g. total want of another opportunity to get suitable food during famine and sickness.
