四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.83

3.83

與外道食戒第四十一　制意者。三種過故制不與食。一異學情及恒懷悚。外難與理親。雖傷惠施不荷其恩。反生譏謗。二邪見乖宗非真福田。令以施主之食授與外道。損他施主不得勝田。獲反報之福。三躬自持食授與外道。容生惑倒。謂外道是勝。比丘不如。以斯過故不許自手與食　別緣有六。一是出家外道甄去在家外道白衣犯輕故爾。二知是出家外道不知犯輕。三非親若與父母外道。恩重故聽。四是食與衣義希故犯小罪。五自手與除置地遣人與不犯。六彼手受即犯。已下正明戒本。此戒因阿難分殘食與乞人故。又外道得食反謗。故佛制斯戒。

Precept 41: Giving food to an outsider. The intention of the promulgation is: Because of three faults, giving food was prohibited. First, followers of other teachings are anxious by disposition and constantly harbour fear; it is difficult to be genuinely close to them; even though one bestows a gift, they do not feel indebted, but on the contrary give rise to ridicule and slander. Second, with false views departing from the true principle, they are not a true field of merit; handing over a donor's food to an outsider harms the donor so that they do not obtain a superior field, but reap the fortune of an adverse retribution. Third, if one personally takes food and hands it to an outsider, it may give rise to confusion and delusion, making them think that outsiders are superior and bhikṣus are inferior. Because of these faults, giving food with one's own hand is not permitted. The specific conditions are six: 1. it is an ordained outsider—lay outsiders are excluded, as giving to laypeople is a lighter offense; 2. knowing they are an ordained outsider—not knowing makes the offense light; 3. not a relative—if given to one's outsider parents, it is permitted due to their heavy kindness; 4. it is food—giving clothing is rare, so it is a minor offense; 5. giving with one's own hand—putting it on the ground or sending someone else to give it is not an offense; 6. an offense is committed as soon as their hand receives it. Below, the precept text itself is clarified. This precept was instituted because Ānanda divided leftover food and gave it to a beggar, and the outsiders took the food and conversely slandered him; thus the Buddha instituted this precept.