佛祖統紀 33.23

33.23

僧齋　佛言。持食施僧有五種福德。色力命安辯。上座施食應誦偈曰。施者受者俱獲五常。色力命安得無礙辯（五福德經）佛言。施食有五福。施命施色施力施安施辯。何謂施命。人不得食七日壽終。智者施食則為施命。其施命者。世世長壽財富無量。何謂施色。人不得食顏色憔悴。智者施食則為施色。其施色者。世世端正顏色暐曄。何謂施力。人不得食所作不能。智者施食則為施力。其施力者。生天人間力無等雙。何謂施安。人不得食心愁身危不能自安。智者施食則為施安。其施安者。世世安隱不遇眾殃。何謂施辯。人不得食身羸意弱口不能言。智者施食則為施辯。其施辯者。慧辯通達聞者歡喜。是為五福（施食五福經）施有三法。一送食至寺名上。就舍供養名中。造舍乞施發心供養名下（增一阿含經）若檀越設食召請眾僧。遣人防門。遮障比丘老病貧乞不聽入會。徒喪飲食了無善分（像法決疑經）四輩弟子若行齋戒。心當存想。請十方僧不擇善惡持戒毀戒高下之行。到諸塔寺請僧之時。僧次供養其福最多（普廣經）檀越來請眾僧。客僧有利養分。僧坊主應次第差（又）世人別請五百羅漢菩薩僧。不如僧次一凡夫僧（梵網經）佛入舍婆提城乞食。有婆羅門以佛數數到其家。心作是念。是沙門何以來數數如負其債。佛時說偈曰。時雨數數墮。五穀數數成。數數修福業。數數受果報。婆羅門聞已。慚愧取鉢盛食奉佛。懺悔出家得阿羅漢（大智度論）若人能日日立要先施僧食。然後自食。如是施中最上（優波塞戒經○今城市施飯盞者。事起於此）。

Vegetarian Feasts for the Saṃgha: The Buddha said, "Offering food to the Saṃgha brings five kinds of merits: complexion, strength, lifespan, peace, and eloquence." When offering food, the senior monk should recite this verse: "The giver and the receiver both attain the five constants: / Complexion, strength, lifespan, peace, and unhindered eloquence." (Wufude jing) The Buddha said, "Offering food brings five blessings: the gift of life, the gift of complexion, the gift of strength, the gift of peace, and the gift of eloquence. What is meant by the gift of life? Without food for seven days, a person's life ends. When a wise person gives food, this is the gift of life. The one who gives life will, in life after life, enjoy longevity and boundless wealth. What is meant by the gift of complexion? Without food, a person's complexion becomes haggard. When a wise person gives food, this is the gift of complexion. The one who gives complexion will, in life after life, be handsome and dignified, with a radiant complexion. What is meant by the gift of strength? Without food, a person is incapable of any action. When a wise person gives food, this is the gift of strength. The one who gives strength will be born in heaven or among humans with peerless strength. What is meant by the gift of peace? Without food, a person's mind is sorrowful, their body endangered, unable to find peace. When a wise person gives food, this is the gift of peace. The one who gives peace will, in life after life, abide in tranquility and never encounter manifold calamities. What is meant by the gift of eloquence? Without food, a person's body is emaciated, their mind weak, and their mouth unable to speak. When a wise person gives food, this is the gift of eloquence. The one who gives eloquence will possess penetrating wisdom and eloquence, bringing joy to all who hear. These are the five blessings." (Shishi wufu jing) There are three methods of giving: first, delivering food to the monastery is called superior; going to a home to receive offerings is called middling; building a shelter to beg for alms and initiating offerings is called inferior. (Ekottarika Āgama) If a donor prepares food and invites the Saṃgha, but stations guards at the gate to bar aged, sick, poor, or mendicant monks from entering the assembly, they waste their food and drink in vain, gaining no share of goodness whatsoever. (Xiangfa jueyi jing) When disciples of the four classes observe the vegetarian fast, they should reflect in their minds: inviting the Saṃgha of the ten directions without discriminating between good and bad, whether they uphold or break the precepts, or whether their conduct is high or low. When going to stupas and temples to invite the Saṃgha, making offerings in the order of the Saṃgha yields the greatest merit. (Puguang jing) When a donor comes to invite the Saṃgha, visiting monks are entitled to a share of the offerings. The monastery prior should dispatch them according to proper sequence. (Ibid.) When worldly people make special invitations to five hundred arhats or bodhisattva-monks, it is not as good as offering to a single ordinary monk according to the order of the Saṃgha. (Brahmajāla Sūtra) Once, when the Buddha entered the city of Śrāvastī to beg for food, a brāhmaṇa, seeing that the Buddha frequently came to his house, thought to himself, "Why does this śramaṇa keep coming so often, as if I owed him a debt?" The Buddha then spoke a verse: "Seasonal rains fall again and again; / The five grains ripen again and again; / Again and again one cultivates meritorious deeds; / Again and again one receives karmic fruits." Hearing this, the brāhmaṇa felt ashamed, took his bowl, filled it with food to offer to the Buddha, repented, renounced the household life, and attained arhatship. (Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa) If a person can make it a daily rule to first offer food to the Saṃgha before eating oneself, this is the highest among gifts. (Upāsakaśīla Sūtra; the practice of setting out rice-bowls [for offerings] in cities today originated from this.)