四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 2.219

2.219

四食處成眾。《善見》：要別請四人，俱受成眾；即座上一比丘覆鉢不食，待餘三食竟，後一人食，不犯。《四分》：若二人三人，隨意食；四人若過，應分作二部，更互入食。《多論》：三比丘，一狂心；三比丘，一滅擯；三比丘在界內，一在界外；若狂擯二人，不落僧數，雖四不成。異界不相足數，不成別眾。故須知是好比丘。《多論》：或食僧食，若施主食，各取食分，雖四人已上，於別處食，或共一處食，不犯別眾。若四人各自乞食，於一處食，亦無別眾。律結犯者，據一家併乞，四人一時受食。必前後各自受分者，得，由自食己食也。又有四句：一食主是一，盡集無過。二食一處二，彼此乃異，以食味同故，不犯；若界內更有餘比丘，二眾俱犯。三食別處一，如僧盡未食僧食，或有施主食，有一施主別請四人，在僧中並坐受食，不與僧同，咽咽犯；若彼四人，先取僧中一口食已，後得益無犯（此謂露地，須申手內；若在覆處，不必相接）。四謂食別處別，彼此二眾，互請一人，互送一分食，不者二俱犯墮。

Fourth, forming a saṃgha at the eating place. The *Samantapāsādikā* states: "It requires specifically inviting four persons who receive [the food] together to form a saṃgha; if one bhikṣu at the seat turns his bowl upside down and does not eat, waiting until the other three finish eating, and then this last person eats, there is no transgression." The *Dharmaguptaka Vinaya* states: "If there are two or three persons, they may eat as they please; if there are four or more, they should divide into two groups and alternate in entering to eat." The *Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā* states: "If there are three bhikṣu[s] and one who is deranged; three bhikṣu[s] and one who has been permanently expelled; or three bhikṣu[s] inside the sīmā and one outside the sīmā—since the deranged and the expelled two do not count toward the saṃgha's number, even though there are four, they do not form a [proper] saṃgha. Those in a different sīmā do not make up the count together and do not form a separate saṃgha. Therefore, one must know that they are qualified bhikṣus." The *Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā* states: "Whether eating the saṃgha's food or a dānapati's food, if each takes his own portion of food, even if four or more persons eat in a separate place or eat together in one place, they do not transgress [the precept against eating in] a separate saṃgha. If four persons each beg for food separately and eat in one place, there is also no separate saṃgha. Where the Vinaya lays down an offense, it is based on soliciting together from a single household and the four persons receiving the food at the same time. If they necessarily receive their portions separately at different times, it is permitted, because each is eating his own food." Furthermore, there are four permutations: First, the host providing the food is one; if all gather, there is no fault. Second, the food is one, but the places are two; although the locations are different, because the flavor of the food is identical, there is no transgression; if there are still other bhikṣus within the sīmā, both groups commit a transgression. Third, the food is distinct, but the place is one: for example, while the saṃgha has not yet eaten the saṃgha's food, or there is food from a dānapati, another dānapati specifically invites four persons to sit alongside within the saṃgha and receive food without sharing it with the saṃgha—they commit an offense with every swallow; if those four persons first take a mouthful of food from the saṃgha and afterward receive additions, there is no transgression (this refers to being in the open air, where they must be within arm's reach; if under a shelter, they need not touch). Fourth refers to food being distinct and the places being distinct: the two assemblies must mutually invite one person and mutually send one portion of food; otherwise, both commit a pāyattika.