四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.349

1.349

義者。言別客得罪者，要是持戒人，不與，犯罪；破戒者，不犯，律云：惡比丘來不應與。《十誦》、《薩婆多》：若外道來，眾僧與食，不犯；止不得自手與。以外道常伺比丘短，故開之。今僧寺中有差僧次請而簡客者，此僧次翻名越次也。即令客僧應得不得，主人犯重；隨同情者多少，通是一盜。又此住處不名僧所，以簡絕客主，非同和僧義。《大集》云：若一寺、一村、一林，五法師住，鳴椎集四方僧。客僧集已，次第賦給，無有吝惜。初夜後夜讀誦講論，厭患生死，不訟彼短，少欲寂靜，修於念定，憐愍眾生，護戒慚愧，是名眾僧如法住大功德海。若無量僧破戒，但令五人清淨，如法護持佛法，愍諸眾生，福不可計，如第三十一卷中。餘有瞻待、國王、大臣、作人、惡賊、俗人、淨人，事既多濫，容兼犯盜，廣亦如〈隨相〉。

Regarding the doctrinal meaning: When it is said that discriminating against visiting guests incurs an offense, it means that if they are precept-holders and one does not provide for them, one commits an offense; if they are precept-breakers, there is no fault. The Vinaya states: "When an evil bhikṣu arrives, he should not be given food." The Daśādhyāya-vinaya and the Sarvāstivāda-vinaya state: "If tīrthikas arrive, when the saṃgha gives them food, there is no fault; only, one must not give it with one's own hand." Because tīrthikas constantly watch for faults in bhikṣus, this allowance was granted. Nowadays, in monasteries there is the practice of assigning monks in rotation for invitations while excluding guests; this rotating assignment should actually be called 'violating the rotation.' It causes visiting monks who ought to receive [food] to not receive it, and the host commits a grave offense; according to the number of those complicit, it is all considered a single theft. Moreover, such a residence cannot be called a dwelling of the saṃgha, because discriminating and cutting off guests from hosts contradicts the principle of a harmonious saṃgha. The Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra states: "If in a single monastery, a single village, or a single grove, five Dharma masters reside, they strike the mallet to assemble the cāturdiśa-saṃgha. Once the visiting monks have assembled, they distribute provisions in order without stinginess. In the first and last watches of the night they recite, expound, and debate, abhorring birth and death, not disputing others' faults, having few desires and remaining tranquil, cultivating mindfulness and concentration, showing pity for sentient beings, guarding the precepts with shame and remorse—this is called the community of monks dwelling in accordance with the Dharma in an ocean of great merit. Even if countless monks break the precepts, if merely five people are pure, uphold the Buddha's Dharma according to the rule, and pity all sentient beings, their merit is immeasurable," as detailed in the thirty-first fascicle. As for others such as receiving kings, ministers, laborers, evil bandits, laypeople, and kappiyakārakas, since the affairs easily lead to abuses and can involve offenses of theft, this is also broadly detailed in the "In Accordance with the Marks" chapter.