At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of six were storing up many almsbowls. When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, “How can the Sakyan monastics store up many bowls? Are they starting up as bowl merchants or setting up a bowl shop?” The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can the monks from the group of six keep extra bowls?” After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Preliminary ruling ‘If a monk keeps an extra almsbowl, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second substory