諸經要集 5.87

5.87

述曰。所以出家之人。欲食之時。先以淨手從他受者。為出家高勝。不同凡下故。須受已而食。故薩婆多論。比丘受食。凡有五意。一為斷竊盜因緣故（自取而食亦同盜想）二為作證明故（儻有失脫不干比丘）三為止誹謗故（出家自取非是高勝）四為成少欲知足故（若當不受非同儉素）五為生他信敬心（見受而食外道生信）如昔有一比丘。與外道共行止一樹下。樹上有果。食時將到。外道語比丘云。上樹取果。比丘言。我戒法中。樹過人不應上。又語比丘言。何不搖樹取果。比丘言。我戒法中。不得自搖樹落果。外道聞已。自上樹取果。擲地與之。語比丘言。取果食。比丘言。我戒法中。不得不受而食。外道下樹取果。授與比丘。外道既見如此。於一果尚有如此法用。何況出世之法。外道遂生信敬心。知佛法清淨不同外道。於是即隨比丘。於佛法中出家修道。尋得漏盡。

The commentary states: The reason a renunciant, when wishing to eat, must first receive it from another with clean hands is that renunciation is noble and exalted, distinct from ordinary inferiority; therefore, one must receive it before eating. Therefore, the Sarvāstivāda-śāstra states that a bhikṣu receiving food has five purposes: First, to cut off the conditions for stealing (taking it oneself to eat is tantamount to the thought of theft); second, to serve as verification (if anything is lost or missing, it does not involve the bhikṣu); third, to stop slander (it is not noble or exalted for a renunciant to take food himself); fourth, to accomplish having few desires and knowing contentment (if one were not to receive it formally, it would not accord with frugality); fifth, to generate faith and respect in others (seeing that it is received before being eaten, non-Buddhists generate faith). For example, formerly there was a bhikṣu who was walking with a non-Buddhist and stopped under a tree. There was fruit on the tree, and the time for eating was approaching. The non-Buddhist said to the bhikṣu, "Climb the tree and take the fruit." The bhikṣu said, "In my monastic precepts, one should not climb a tree higher than a person." He also said to the bhikṣu, "Why not shake the tree to get the fruit?" The bhikṣu said, "In my monastic precepts, one must not shake a tree oneself to make fruit fall." Having heard this, the non-Buddhist climbed the tree himself, picked the fruit, threw it to the ground for him, and said to the bhikṣu, "Take the fruit and eat." The bhikṣu said, "In my monastic precepts, one must not eat without having received it." The non-Buddhist climbed down the tree, picked up the fruit, and offered it to the bhikṣu. Seeing this, the non-Buddhist thought: Even for a single piece of fruit there is such rule and practice, how much more so for the supramundane Dharma! The non-Buddhist then generated faith and respect, knowing that the Buddha's Dharma is pure and unlike that of non-Buddhists. Thereupon he followed the bhikṣu, left household life in the Buddha's Dharma, cultivated the Way, and soon attained the destruction of the outflows.