四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.345

1.345

二約食以論者。先明通塞之意，後引聖言。然食為大患，人誰不須？世尊一化，多先陳此，故慰問云：乞食可得不等。今諸別住，局見者多；自壅僧食，障礙大法；現是餓因，來受劇苦。故古師匡眾之法云：寺是攝十方一切眾僧修道境界法，為待一切僧經遊來往受供處所；無彼無此，無主無客；僧理平等，同護佛法。故其中飲食眾具，悉是供十方凡聖同有；鳴鐘作法，普集僧眾，同時共受，與檀越作生福之田；如法及時者，皆無遮礙。然法有通塞（十方眾僧，自有食分，依時而來，不須召喚；白衣及中，能齋者亦得，出《五分律》也，此謂通也。不能受齋，非時來者不與，法宜塞也）。唯有任道行之同護法者，不損檀越事也。本非人情，理無向背（不得人情口召來食，及慳惜積聚，計留後月；乃至懷親疎之心，應與而閉，不應與而開也）。若此以明，是非自顯。真誠出家者，怖四怨之多苦，厭三界之無常；辭六親之至愛，捨五欲之深著；良由虛妄之俗可棄，真實之道應歸。是宜開廓遠意，除蕩鄙懷；不吝身財，護持正法。況僧食十方普同，彼取自分，理應隨喜。而人情忌狹，用心不等；或有閉門限礙客僧者，不亦蚩乎！鳴鐘本意，豈其然哉？出家捨著，尤不應爾！但以危脆之身，不能堅護正法；浮假之命，不肯遠通僧食。違諸佛之教，損檀越之福；傷一時眾情，塞十方僧路。傳謬後生，所敗遠矣。改前迷而復道，不亦善哉（慳食獨啖，餓鬼之業，是謂大迷）。

Second, discussing the matter with reference to food: first, clarifying the rationale of opening and closing, and then citing the sage's words. Food is a great hardship; who does not need it? In the Bhagavat’s lifetime of teaching, he often inquired after this first, asking solicitously: “Is almsfood easy to obtain?” Nowadays, among those dwelling separately, many are narrow-minded; they hoard saṃgha food for themselves and obstruct the Great Dharma; this is a cause of hunger in the present, leading to severe suffering in the future. Therefore, an ancient master's method for regulating the assembly says: “A monastery is a domain of practice that gathers all the saṃgha of the ten directions for cultivating the Way; it is a place for receiving offerings while awaiting all monks traveling to and fro. There is neither other nor self, neither host nor guest; the principle of the saṃgha is equal, jointly protecting the Buddha's Dharma. Therefore, the food, drink, and requisites within it are all shared possessions offered to both ordinary persons and sages of the ten directions. Striking the bell and performing the rite, the saṃgha assembly is universally gathered to receive it together at the same time, serving as a field of merit for the dānapatis; whoever accords with the Dharma and arrives on time encounters no obstruction.” However, the Dharma has its allowances and restrictions (monks of the ten directions naturally have their share of food; arriving on time, they need no invitation; laypersons and those of the middling sort who can observe the fasting precepts may also receive it, as found in the Pañcavargika-vinaya—this is called an allowance. Those who cannot undertake the fast or arrive at improper times are not given food; here the Dharma properly restricts it). There are only those who shoulder the practice of the Way and jointly protect the Dharma who do not impair the affairs of the dānapatis. Fundamentally it is not a matter of human partiality; in principle there is neither favor nor opposition (one must not verbally invite people to eat based on personal favoritism, nor hoard out of stinginess to save for later months, nor harbor thoughts of closeness or distance, closing to those who should be given and opening to those who should not). If clarified in this manner, right and wrong will naturally become apparent. Those who genuinely leave the household life dread the abundant suffering of the four enemies and detest the impermanence of the three realms; they bid farewell to the supreme love of the six relations and abandon deep attachment to the five desires. This is truly because the delusions of the secular world can be cast aside, and the path of truth should be sought. It is proper, then, to broaden one's far-reaching intention and sweep away base sentiments, not begrudging body or wealth to protect and uphold the correct Dharma. How much more so since the saṃgha's food is universally shared by the ten directions; when others take their proper share, one ought in principle to rejoice! Yet human sentiments are envious and narrow, and people's intentions are unequal; some even shut the gates and obstruct visiting monks—is this not foolish? How could that ever be the original intent of striking the bell? Having left the household life and abandoned attachments, one should least of all act like this! It is only because of this fragile body that they cannot staunchly protect the correct Dharma, and because of this fleeting, false life that they refuse to share saṃgha food far and wide. They violate the teachings of the Buddhas, diminish the merit of the dānapatis, wound the assembly's feelings in the present, and block the road for monks of the ten directions. Passing down error to later generations, the ruin wrought is vast indeed. To rectify former delusion and return to the Way—would that not be excellent? (Eating alone out of stinginess with food is the karma of a hungry ghost; this is called great delusion).