四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.96

3.96

"If a bhikṣu is invited to be given medicines for four months, an un-ill bhikṣu should accept it. If he accepts in excess, except in the case of a constant invitation, a renewed invitation, a partial invitation, or a lifelong invitation, it is a prāyaścittika." The complete text of this precept contains six clauses: first, the offender; second, the invitation of medicines; third, from "un-ill" onward, teaching the limit; fourth, acceptance for four months; fifth, lack of conditions; sixth, accepting in excess, establishing the offense. In defining the marks: "bhikṣu" is as explained above. Second, regarding "invited to be given medicines for four months": the Vinaya says that "four months" refers to the four months of the summer. The Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says that all three seasons—spring, summer, and winter—incur an offense. Third, regarding "an un-ill bhikṣu should accept": this instructs that the limit of acceptance is four months. This is the method for receiving medicines. Fourth, regarding "if he accepts in excess": this clarifies accepting beyond four months. The Vinaya says, "If overnight medicines have a prescribed limit, they should be accepted for the four months of summer. If overnight medicines have no prescribed limit, they should be accepted according to the time of donation, regardless of the prescribed limit of the medicine." Fifth, regarding "except in the case of a constant invitation": this clarifies the circumstances under which acceptance is permitted. The Vinaya says, "'A constant invitation' means the donor says, 'I will constantly give medicine.' 'A renewed invitation' means that after it was interrupted, he invites again to give medicine. 'A partial invitation' means bringing medicine into the saṅghārāma to distribute as a share. 'A lifelong invitation' means the donor says, 'I will constantly give medicine for the rest of my life.'" The preceding four clauses are medicines permitted under these circumstances. Sixth, regarding "it is a prāyaścittika": this is the clause establishing the violation. The Vinaya says, "Among the four kinds of medicine, accepting three kinds of medicine in excess all constitute prāyaścittika offenses." Therefore, the Mātṛkā says that accepting medicines after the proper time also constitutes a prāyaścittika offense. Seven-day medicines and lifelong medicines are as in the Vinaya text below. Because it is medicine prescribed by a physician, one knows it is an offense. If accepting in excess even when a single meal is offered is already an offense, how much more so would accepting beyond four months not be a prāyaścittika? Therefore, the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya says, "If, after four months have passed, he further asks for seven-day medicines such as ghee, or lifelong medicines such as pepper, ginger, pippalī, salt, and so forth, he commits a prāyaścittika. If he asks for the three [myrobalans] such as bibhītaka, it is a duṣkṛta." Medicines taken outside the mealtime are cheap, and their therapeutic effect is slight, and occasions for receiving them are rare, so he commits a minor offense. Question: When one meal is offered, accepting ghee and oil in excess is a light offense; why is accepting ghee and oil here heavy? Answer: In that case, it is based on external application to the feet or lighting lamps; since it is for external use, excess acceptance is rare, so that offense is light. Here, the offering is for internal bodily sustenance, and excess acceptance occurs frequently, so he incurs a prāyaścittika. Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā says that if the dānapati gives oil for four months and one asks for ghee, it is a duṣkṛta; hence one knows that asking for medicine is a light offense, while accepting in excess is heavy. Why is this so? Explanation: The donor originally had a good intention, but when the four-month period of providing medicine is fulfilled, his intention to make offerings ceases. Accepting in excess causes him vexation, and the injury and harm are deep. Moreover, taking advantage of the donor's previous joy in making offerings to accept in excess makes excess acceptance heavy. If one asks for medicine, because the householder previously had no intention to give, begging leaves it to his discretion; the vexation and harm are slight. Furthermore, because the donor originally had no intention, begging is rare, hence light. It is unlike robes; the material allowance for robes is broad, whereas both giving and begging in excess occur frequently, so it rarely incurs a prāyaścittika offense. The Vinaya says regarding non-offenses: "They are the four conditions stated in the text of the precept."