Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.22

c23.22

**A Monk's Meals.** A review of the evidence as set forth above will show that the daily meal of the Bhikkhu would commence with a slight repast of fruit and cakes with milk or water as the beverage in the early morning, to be followed by the principal meal of the day usually made up of rice and curry which was taken between eleven and twelve. This is evident from the regulation that the meal was not to be prolonged beyond the time when the sun cast a shadow [*Chullav.*, xii, 2–8, and *Pāt.*, p. 40], but must be taken "before and up to noon" [*Mahāv.*, vi, 40, 3]. Sometimes, rice-milk would be served for the early morning meal or breakfast before the Bhikkhus would start on their begging rounds [*Mahāv.*, i, 25, 8]. We read of some Bhikkhus of tender age whom their guardians admitted to the Order under a false idea of the comforts of its life setting up a clamour for rice-milk, for soft food and hard food, as soon as they rose from bed in the early morning. The elderly brethren answered their clamour coolly by saying: "Wait, friends, till day-time; you shall get what is here or must go out for alms." But the boys were not to be silenced; they threw their bedding about, made it wet, and kept on crying for food [ib., i, 49, 4]. After the principal meal no more solid and substantial food was permitted. Only slight repasts were allowed in the afternoon after sun-turn.