Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.7

c23.7

The most religiously disposed Bhikkhu would observe as regards his meals the rule of *Piṇḍapātika*, i.e. of living on food obtained by begging from door to door and carried in the bowl itself. He who would come back first from his round for alms in the village was to make the preliminary arrangements for the dining of the whole fraternity, such as getting ready the seats, water for washing and drinking, towels, etc. He who comes last will, after taking his own meals if he has not taken them elsewhere, clean out the dining-room (*Chullav.*, viii, 5, 3]. Sometimes, an individual Bhikkhu would be given food more than sufficient for himself. In that case, he must not accept more than two or three bowlfuls as the maximum quantity for purposes of distribution among the Saṁgha [*Pāt.*, op. cit.].