分別功德論 4.17

4.17

The monk Dabba Mallaputta encouraged and directed the provision of fasting assemblies and discourses. The Buddha entrusted the affairs of the Saṅgha to him, dividing the groups according to what was appropriate: those [devoted to] the sūtras in one place, the vinaya in one place, the Mahāyāna in one place, sitting in meditation in one place, high seats in one place, begging for food in one place, and teaching and conversion in one place, organizing them according to their activities so that each followed their own kind. If dānapatis came to issue invitations, he assigned and dispatched them in proper sequence without inquiring whether [the household] was high or low. If there was a private invitation, it was not permitted in this arrangement. Once, when the dānapatis' invitations were exhausted, the group of six monks happened by their turn to receive a poor family. Harboring resentment, they returned and complained to the Buddha, saying: "Mallaputta has deceived us. He himself receives good places, while we are sent to a poor house. How is this fair?" The Buddha summoned Mallaputta: "Is this truly so with you?" He replied: "No." At that time there was no food and the day was approaching noon; he had mixed cow dung [in water] and drunk it to serve as his midday meal. Hearing the words of the group of six, having no other way to clear himself, he immediately vomited this dung-broth before the Buddha. The group of six were ashamed: two were deeply moved and attained the exhaustion of outflows; two returned to the white robes [of lay life]; and two, with boiling blood pouring from their faces, died and fell into Avīci. As for 'fasting and discourses', it means assembling the assemblies of the divisions and synthesizing their appropriate practices. Because he was skilled at encouraging and accomplishing this, he is called foremost.