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carpenters and weavers."216 At another place, however, the same text disallows a monk to accept food from ksatriyas, kings, messengers and those born in royal families, whether the members of such families were either inside or outside the house, or when they invited the monks for food.217
Along with these, he was not allowed to accept food from those who had given him a lodging218 as there was a likelihood of the latter preparing special food for the monk and thus creating ties of obligation.
The Return :
With these rules of food in his mind, the monk sought alms within an area covered by half a yojana 219 Within this limit he begged food without creating intimacy with the householders by telling them stories,220 or taking shelter of a pillar,221 etc.
Thus he returned to the monastery with the food and showed it to his guru. Then he reported and confessed his transgressions, if any, before the guru, and inquiring whether anybobdy else was in need of food he ate that food which remained after giving to the needy. No food was to be wasted on the ground, and the monk consumed all food in the company of other monks without having any clothing.222
In case, the monk became hungry while on the begging tour, then finding out a lonely and desolate place or the shelter of a wall, he cleaned the place well. Then washing his hands well, he consumed food there with due permission of the owner of that place.223
In case he came across certain impurities in the food, or accepted impure food through inadvertance, he found out a place free from living beings and deposited the food on that place.224 For the same purpose, he was allowed to question the nature of the food of which he was doubtful, to the donor, and in some cases, was permitted to taste a little amount of sour articles to see whether they are fit or unfit for him.225
216. Acar. II, 1, 2, 2.
217. Ibid. II, 1, 3, 10 (p. 97); Does it signify that the text makes a distinction between ordinary ksatriyas and royal families?
218. Ibid. II, 2, 3, 4 (p. 131); Bhag. 231a; Dśv. 3, 5: 'sāgāriyapinda'. 219. Acar. II, 1, 2, 5 (p. 93); Bhag. p. 291b, 292a. 220. Dśv. 5, ii, 9. 221. Ibid. 6, 57-60. 222. Uttar. 1, 35; Dév. 5, i, 84-97; 5, ii, 1; Acar. II, 1, 10 (pp. 113 ff). 223. Dźv. 5, i, 82-83. 224. Ibid. 5, i, 82-83; Acar. II, 1, 10, 6; Näyå. p. 164, 225. Dév, 5, i, 56. 76. 78. 79.
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