四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.59

3.59

The precept on eating food praised by a bhikṣuṇī, the twenty-ninth. This was promulgated on account of four kinds of faults: first, having a bhikṣuṇī praise one’s own bodily conduct and auspicious qualities to seek gain fosters one’s own knot of greed, destroying right livelihood and a contented mind; second, partial and deceitful praise displays close personal intimacy, readily inviting outside criticism, causing no light damage; third, causing donors to make offerings according to her words brings harm and distress if the recipient is a person devoid of virtue, and the donor is deprived of making offerings to a field of merit, reaping the benefit of an opposite retribution; fourth, slandering good people causes other donors not to give rise to respect for superior merit, and also disturbs the virtuous. Possessing all these many faults, the Holy One therefore promulgated this precept. There are four specific conditions: first, it is food obtained through a bhikṣuṇī praising one’s virtue to solicit offerings; second, knowing she praised him; third, receiving it; fourth, after eating, incurring a prāyaścittika with each swallow. Below is the proper explanation of the Prātimokṣa text. This precept arose because a householder invited Śāriputra and others, and the bhikṣuṇī Thullanandā said, “Those invited are all base thieves. If you invite someone, you should invite Devadatta and his circle, who are dragons among dragons.” Upon returning from the meal, they reported this in detail, and the Buddha then promulgated the precept.