四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.77

3.77

Precept 38: Eating Food Kept Overnight. As for the intention of the rule: generally, food and drink are troublesome and impure. Keeping them near increases greed and prevents restraint. Moreover, their nature is to perish and decay, with no justification for hoarding. Therefore, they should be kept in a separate place, and in principle cannot be kept overnight together. For this reason the Sage instituted the rule. / There are three specific conditions: first, it is food kept overnight; second, knowing that it has been kept overnight; third, eating it immediately constitutes an offense. / Explaining the name: what is eaten today is the remainder from that day; having passed the night, it is overnight food, hence it is called the precept of eating food kept overnight. Below, the text of the precept is properly explained. This precept was instituted on account of the bhikṣu Kāla, who while sitting in meditation and contemplating grew weary and distressed, and ate what he had previously obtained; the Buddha thereupon instituted the precept.