四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.67

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別眾食第三十三　制意有二。一慈愍白衣故。然揣食有限事難普周人少易。供多則傾竭。生惱損重故制別食。二為攝難調人故。恐自結別眾羯磨。以惱眾僧故制不聽別眾　次釋名者。能別之人食處成眾。以眾別他不共同味故曰別眾食戒　次解具緣。通緣知上。別緣有七。一有施主。二別請別乞。三五正食體清淨在時中。四食處成眾。五知界內不盡集。六無因緣。七食便犯。已下正明戒本。此戒因提婆達與五比丘家家乞食。故佛制此戒。

Precept Thirty-Three: Eating in a Separate Group.

The intention of the precept is twofold: First, out of compassion for laypeople. Because measured food is limited, it is difficult for affairs to encompass everyone universally; a few people are easy to feed, whereas many will exhaust [their resources]. Causing annoyance and heavy loss, eating in a separate group was therefore prohibited. Second, in order to restrain difficult-to-train people. Fearing that they would form separate-group karmavācanās by themselves to annoy the Saṅgha, eating in a separate group was therefore not permitted.

Next, explaining the name: The persons able to separate form a group at the dining place. Because they separate themselves from others as a group and do not share the same flavor together, it is called the precept against eating in a separate group.

Next, explaining the completion of conditions. The general conditions are known from above. There are seven specific conditions: 1. There is a donor. 2. A separate invitation or separate begging. 3. The substance of the five proper foods is pure and within the proper time. 4. A group is formed at the dining place. 5. Knowing that the assembly within the boundary is not fully gathered. 6. There is no special circumstance. 7. Committing [the offense] upon eating. Below, the Prātimokṣa text is properly clarified. This precept arose because Devadatta, together with five monks, begged for food house to house; thus the Buddha instituted this precept.