法苑珠林 99.35

99.35

The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya also says: At that time, when the World-Honoured One was teaching the Dharma to a great assembly, there was a monk with bad breath who stayed downwind. The Buddha, knowing this, purposefully asked, "Why is this monk sitting alone?" He replied, "World-Honoured One, the precepts prohibit chewing tooth-wood; therefore my mouth smells foul. Fearing to offend people with the stench, I stay downwind." The Buddha said, "I allow the use of tooth-wood. At most it should be sixteen finger-breadths long, and at least four finger-breadths or more. When chewing it, one should be in a secluded place and first wash one's hands clean. After chewing, wash it with water and discard it. When chewing, one must not swallow it. If a physician says that swallowing is required to cure an illness, it is permitted. If one has no teeth, one should use ash, saline soil, crushed brick, sandstone, grass, or wood to wash the mouth. Having eaten, or if water is to be served at the meal, there must be pure water; first wash the hand vessels and only then serve the water. If one's hands are soiled, one should hold it using leaves underneath. When drinking with the mouth, one must not submerge the lips or let the vessel touch the forehead; one should touch the lips to it and drink. When drinking, one must not drink it entirely; one should leave a little, rinse and swish it, and discard it from where the mouth touched. The person serving water must take good care of the pure vessels. If they see that someone has submerged their lips or touched their forehead, they must place the vessel in a separate spot and mark it with grass to let people know it is impure. If one serves untimely beverages, it is also according to the previous method."