Book Title: Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism
Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur
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NISSAYAS
127
Blessed One, after having taught, incited, animated and gladdened that lay-devotee by religious discourse, rose from his seat and went away.".
So much about the Buddhist way of taking food. The Jainas too like the Buddhists, were asked to come back to their residence with perfect self-control. They, first of all after their arrival to the residence, were advised to seek out a place fit for eating food and to clean it. Then, going to the preceptor they were required to perform the iriya patha rite before him and to show him the contents of their bowls. Usually they were to wait till others' arrival and to dine their food with fellow-monks, if anybody was ready to partake their food.
If anybody, while on begging-tour wanted to dine, then he must seek out a lonely place like the side of a wall, etc. Then after seeking the permission of the owner, he should clean it and then eat the food carefully.
If while eating he comes across a piece of bone or a blade of grass or a pebble or the like, then he is to place it in a corner gently and perform the pratikramana. In no case a monk is allowed to make a hissing sound or to smack lips or to eat too slowly or too quickly.'
Thus so far as the discipline to be observed at the time of eating is concerned, the Buddhists and the Jainas, besides some negligible differences, stand on the same footing. Both are commonly advised to return to their residence with perfect self-control, to arrange the dining place, to wait for their friends' arrival and to eat food decorously.
(x) Storing up articles of food Morsels of food gathered from begging-tours being the cardinal principle of the Buddhist mendicants, storing up articles of food received as gifts, etc. or cooking food inside the monastery, in normal circumstances, was unbecoming to them. Such practices, therefore, were permissible to them in days of scarcity only,' for no sooner the alms were available in abundance than the privilege was denied to them'. But very soon the multiplication of the members of the Order and the introduction of corporate life in a settled residence necessitated the introduction of a warehouse (kappiyabhümi), a building outside the monastery to store articles of food, etc., and ubatthānasala, a
1. Cf. MV, 1. 9. 29, p. 21; DN. Vol. II, p. 78; etc. 2. Bhag, 270, p. 293a. 3. MV, 6. 5. 15, pp. 229-30. 4. Ibid, 6. 20.36, p. 253. 5. Ibid, 6.20,36, pp. 253-54. 6. CV, 6. 1. 8, p. 246.
