Blameless Is The Nature Of Saints
The Story of Venerable Bellatthisisa
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 3
The Story of Venerable Bellatthisisa
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 3
Those who do not accumulate and are wise regarding food, whose object is the Void, the Unconditioned Freedom — their track cannot be traced, like that of birds in the air.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Venerable Bellatthisisa.
After going for alms in the village, Venerable Bellatthisisa would stop along the way and eat. Then he would continue his round to collect more food, and when he had enough, he returned to the monastery, dried the rice, and stored it.
Because of this, he did not need to go for alms every day, and he would remain absorbed in jhana for two or three days at a time. On emerging from jhana, he would soak some of the dried rice in water and eat it.
Other monks thought ill of the elder for this and reported his hoarding of rice to the Buddha. From then on, monks were forbidden to store up food.
But because Venerable Bellatthisisa had stored the rice before the rule was made, and had done so not out of greed but only to save time for meditation, the Buddha declared that he was innocent and not to be blamed.
The Story of Venerable Bellatthisisa
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 3
Those who do not accumulate and are wise regarding food, whose object is the Void, the Unconditioned Freedom — their track cannot be traced, like that of birds in the air.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Venerable Bellatthisisa.
After going for alms in the village, Venerable Bellatthisisa would stop along the way and eat. Then he would continue his round to collect more food, and when he had enough, he returned to the monastery, dried the rice, and stored it.
Because of this, he did not need to go for alms every day, and he would remain absorbed in jhana for two or three days at a time. On emerging from jhana, he would soak some of the dried rice in water and eat it.
Other monks thought ill of the elder for this and reported his hoarding of rice to the Buddha. From then on, monks were forbidden to store up food.
But because Venerable Bellatthisisa had stored the rice before the rule was made, and had done so not out of greed but only to save time for meditation, the Buddha declared that he was innocent and not to be blamed.