四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 3.68

3.68

Next, the untimely offering received by the saṃgha. This means that the donor's mindset is universal, encompassing all three seasons and not restricted to a single boundary. Bringing goods to the monastery or at a lay home, he summons the saṃgha by striking the bell and makes an offering of material property; it is then resolved by karman, like the method for dividing the light property of a deceased person. The Vinaya states: The resident present saṃgha obtained a great amount of robes and goods, divisible property; at that time guest monks kept arriving frequently, making the division of robes utterly exhausting; the Buddha ordered that one person be deputed by a jñaptidvitīya-karman to divide it. In correcting each other between the two assemblies, there are also four kinds of methods: The Dharmaguptaka and Daśādhyāya Vinayas state that if it is offered to the bhikṣu-saṃgha, it excludes even a single śrāmaṇera; if offered to the bhikṣuṇī-saṃgha, it excludes even a single śrāmaṇerikā. In this way, when the five assemblies reciprocally receive, they go to the monastery. Without distinguishing monk, nun, and so forth, because all are present for what the saṃgha receives and are equally eligible to receive it. (This is because all are equally fields of merit, hence the two assemblies reciprocally receive.) The Five Hundred Questions states: If someone donates goods to the saṃgha, and later more monks arrive and take their seats, if the gong was struck they ought to receive it; if not struck, they are not entitled. If there is surplus donation property, and the original practitioner has already left, the subsequent person should inquire. If he will return, it is not permissible [to take it]; if he will never return, recite an aspiration and take it; if he might return, one must not take it, or it incurs a niḥsargika-pāyattika; if knowing he has died one takes it, it incurs an offense of expulsion (pārājika), because it is saṃgha property.