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175
HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM If the food obtained in a single round was not sufficient for his maintenance, then the monk was allowed to undertake a second round.226
Ideal Quantity :
The ideal quantity of food to be consumed by the monk was thirty-two morsels (kavala), each of the size of a hen's egg (kukkudiandapamāna). Besides this, eating such eight morsels was called 'appāhāra'; consuming twelve morsels was termed as 'avaddha'; sixteen morsels, 'dubhāga'; twentyfour morsels 'patta', and thirty-one morsels as 'kiñcūņa.' Any monk who ate less than the normal quantity of thirty-two morsels was not called pakāmarasabhoi (excessive eater).227
The Time for Eating :
Generally the monks took food in the third porisi (i.e., roughly a prahara) of the day. He could change the time if he had undertaken a vow to eat food at an odd time in the day.228 Nobody was allowed to eat food at night (raibhoyana), as also to preserve food overnight or accept such, or make a store of food.229
The Mode of Eating :
The monk consumed food in the begging pot. He was not allowed to make use of the householder's pots. While eating food, he was not to combine various articles for enriching its taste, or eat only the good one, or shift the morsel from one side to another for extracting a better taste.
He was not to be greedy or attached to any food, but was expected to eat food only for the maintenance of his body.230
The Purpose of Eating :
On account of six reasons, the monk was supposed to take food. They were : 231
(1) veyaņa --- to lessen the pangs of hunger,
(2)
veyāvacca -- to be able to wait upon the elders and the sick,
226. Ibid. 5, i, 22.
227. Thān. comm. p. 149a; Bhag. 292a; Sufficient to maintain oneself: Uttar. 6, 7; 8, 11.
228. Ibid. 26, 32. For various vows regarding this: Stkr. 2, 2, 72 (p. 379).
229. Bhag. 291b; Stkr. 1, 2, 220 (p. 255); 1, 6, 28 (p. 291); 1, 7, 21 (p. 295); Uttar. 16, 7-8; 17, 15-16; 19, 30; Dév. 3, 2-3.
230. Acār. 1, 7, 6, 2 (p. 71). 231. Than. p. 359a.
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