法苑珠林 62.8

62.8

Question: On occasions such as the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the sacred teachings instruct that Buddha basins be made to present offerings, on this day there are also many guests; from what provision should these items be supplied?
Answer: If there are donors who provide goods for common use, these should be used to entertain guests. If there are no donors who provide goods for common use, one must observe the monastery: monasteries vary between large and small, official and private. For instance, in a small monastery that was not built by the state, where there are no external offerings presented, nor are there noble dignitaries to deliberate on the occasion, one should, according to the monastery's abundance or scarcity, draw from the permanent property of the saṃgha to prepare food to offer to the Buddha and the saṃgha; in this there is no fault. Because the Buddha is universally counted among the saṃgha that is worthy of offerings, monasteries at every large and small mealtime regularly set out two platters, one for the Buddha and one for the saṃgha; thus we know it may be used. If discussing the poṣadha recitation of precepts, the Buddha is not counted within the karmic saṃgha. Why is this? Because the stations of the Three Jewels are distinct.