金剛經纂要刊定記 2.253

2.253

"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.