佛說目連問戒律中五百輕重事 1.227

1.227

問：「比丘甞食，得食不？」答：「不得。知而食，犯墮。前甞食人亦犯墮。若不即懺，其罪日增。昔有一執事比丘，恒知處。當僧家飲食，常手柱器言：『取是用是。』日日常爾而不懺，命終後墮餓鬼中。有一無著，於夜上廁，聞呻喚聲。問：『汝是誰？』答：『我是餓鬼。』問：『本作何行墮餓鬼中？』答：『於此寺中為僧執事。』問：『汝本精進，何由墮餓鬼中？』答：『持不淨飲食與眾僧故。』問：『云何不淨？』答：『眾僧有種種器物，見以指柱器，教使取是用是物，犯墮。三說戒不悔，轉增乃至重，以是故墮餓鬼中。』兩手擘胸裂皮，破肉[口*((甫-、)/寸)]吹𠹀。問：『何以擘胸？』答：『蟲噉身痛故。』問：『何以[口*((甫-、)/寸)]㗱吹𠹀？』答：『以口中有蟲故。』問：『何以呻喚？』答：『餓極欲死故。』問：『欲食何物？』答：『意欲食糞而不能得。』問：『何故不得？』答：『以諸餓鬼多，見推排不能前。』無著言：『我知奈何？』鬼言：『願眾僧見為呪願。』答：『可爾。』無著即還向眾說，彼人墮餓鬼。眾僧問：『本行精進，何故墮餓鬼中？』答云：『本以不淨飲食與僧而不悔故。願眾僧與彼呪願。』即為呪願，便得食糞不復呻喚。以是證故，知大比丘不得以手自造飲食及柱觸僧器物。若非僧器、若受得行與僧，無犯。」

Question: "When a bhikṣu tastes food, may he eat it?" Answer: "He may not. If he eats it knowingly, it is an offence of pātayantika. The person who tasted the food earlier also commits an offence of pātayantika. If one does not immediately repent, one's sin increases day by day. Formerly, there was an administrator bhikṣu who constantly supervised the place. Regarding the saṅgha's food and drink, he would regularly point with his hands at the vessels, saying, 'Take this and use that.' He did this day after day without repenting, and after dying he fell among the hungry ghosts. An arhat went to the latrine at night and heard the sound of groaning. He asked, 'Who are you?' The ghost replied, 'I am a hungry ghost.' He asked, 'What deed did you do formerly to fall among the hungry ghosts?' The ghost replied, 'In this monastery, I was an administrator for the saṅgha.' He asked, 'You were originally diligent; for what reason did you fall among the hungry ghosts?' The ghost replied, 'Because I gave impure food and drink to the saṅgha.' He asked, 'How was it impure?' The ghost replied, 'The saṅgha had various vessels; seeing them, I would point with my fingers at the vessels, directing people to take this and use that item, which was an offence of pātayantika. Failing to repent after three recitations of the precepts, it progressively increased up to a grave offence; on this account, I fell among the hungry ghosts.' With both hands he tore open his chest, ripping the skin, breaking open the flesh, puffing and blowing. The arhat asked, 'Why do you tear open your chest?' The ghost replied, 'Because worms eat my body and it is painful.' He asked, 'Why do you puff and blow?' The ghost replied, 'Because there are worms in my mouth.' He asked, 'Why do you groan?' The ghost replied, 'Because I am starving to the extreme and about to die.' He asked, 'What do you wish to eat?' The ghost replied, 'I desire to eat excrement, but cannot get it.' He asked, 'Why can you not get it?' The ghost replied, 'Because the hungry ghosts are numerous; when they see me, they shove and push me aside so that I cannot advance.' The arhat said, 'What can I do for you?' The ghost said, 'May the saṅgha make aspirational blessings on my behalf.' He replied, 'It shall be done.' The arhat immediately returned and told the saṅgha that that man had fallen among the hungry ghosts. The monks asked, 'His former practice was diligent; why did he fall among the hungry ghosts?' He answered, saying, 'Because formerly he gave impure food and drink to the saṅgha and did not repent. He wishes that the saṅgha make aspirational blessings for him.' They immediately made aspirational blessings for him, whereupon he was able to eat excrement and groaned no longer. By this testimony, it is known that a great bhikṣu must not prepare food and drink with his own hands nor point at and touch the saṅgha's vessels. If it is not a saṅgha vessel, or if having formally received it he proceeds to give it to the saṅgha, it is without offence."