Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Sekhiya 35: Not to take and eat food placed at the top of a heap of food, or flatten down a heap of food.
- Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.
… in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks having chosen from the top, ate almsfood … " …
‘Not having chosen from the top will I eat almsfood,’ is a training to be observed."
One should eat almsfood not having chosen from the top. Whoever out of disrespect eats almsfood having chosen from the top, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if it is unintentional, if he is not thinking, if he does not know, if he is ill; if among an insignificant remainder he eats, having selected, having chosen from one side; if there are accidents, if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū thūpakato omadditvā piṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjanti … pe … .
2 "na thūpakato omadditvā piṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā"ti. (35:180)
3 na thūpakato omadditvā piṇḍapāto bhuñjitabbo. yo anādariyaṃ paṭicca thūpakato omadditvā piṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjati āpatti dukkaṭassa.
4 anāpatti— asañcicca, assatiyā, ajānantassa, gilānassa, parittake sese ekato sankaḍḍhitvā omadditvā bhuñjati, āpadāsu, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.