金剛經纂要刊定記 2.253

2.253

乞士者，謂上從善友乞法以練心，下從檀越乞食以資身。故《智度論》云：「何名比丘？比丘名乞士，清淨活命故名乞士。」如經中說：「舍利弗乞食向壁而餐。時有梵志女名淨目，來見舍利弗云：『沙門！汝食淨耶？』答言：『食淨。』淨目言：『沙門下口食耶？』答曰：『不也。』乃至問：仰、維、方等？皆答言：『不也。』淨目女言：『食有四種，我問於汝，汝皆言不。我今不解汝說。』舍利弗言：『有出家人合藥種穀植樹等，不淨活命，名下口食。有觀星宿、日月風雨雷電等不淨活命，名仰口食。有曲媚豪勢通致四方、巧言多求不淨活命，名方口食。有以種種呪術卜算吉凶不淨活命，名維口食。姊！我不墮是四種不淨食中，我用清淨乞食活命。』淨目因聞是說清淨法食，歡喜信解得須陀洹道。」如是清淨乞食活命，故名乞士。

"Mendicant" (begging scholar) means that above, one begs for the Dharma from good friends in order to train the mind, and below, one begs for food from dānapatis in order to sustain the body. Therefore the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "What is meant by bhikṣu? A bhikṣu is called a mendicant, for one is named a mendicant because of pure livelihood." As stated in the sūtra: "Śāriputra was begging for food and eating facing a wall. At that time, a female brahmacārin named Śucimukhī came, saw Śāriputra, and said, 'Śramaṇa! Is your eating pure?' He answered, 'My eating is pure.' Śucimukhī said, 'Śramaṇa, do you eat with a downward-facing mouth?' He replied, 'No.' She went on to ask about upward-facing, the intermediate directions, the cardinal directions, and so forth, to all of which he answered, 'No.' The woman Śucimukhī said, 'There are four kinds of eating; I asked you about them, and you said 'no' to all. I do not understand what you say.' Śāriputra said, 'There are home-leavers who compound medicines, sow grains, and plant trees, which is impure livelihood; this is called eating with a downward-facing mouth. There are those who observe the constellations, the sun and moon, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning for an impure livelihood; this is called eating with an upward-facing mouth. There are those who flatter the powerful and prominent, send messages to the four directions, and through artful speech seek much for an impure livelihood; this is called eating with a mouth facing the cardinal directions. There are those who use various incantations, divination, and fortune-telling for an impure livelihood; this is called eating with a mouth facing the intermediate directions. Sister! I do not fall into these four kinds of impure eating; I sustain my livelihood by pure alms-begging.' Hearing this explanation of pure Dharma food, Śucimukhī rejoiced, believed, understood, and attained the path of a srotāpanna." Sustaining livelihood by pure alms-begging in this manner, he is therefore called a mendicant.