Soon afterwards a certain monk became sick. Another monk took some almsfood, went to that monk, and told him to eat it. “I can’t. I’m expecting another meal.” But since that almsfood only arrived at midday, that monk did not get to eat as much as he had intended. They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow a sick monk to eat a meal before another. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Second preliminary ruling ‘If a monk eats a meal before another, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.

This is the appropriate occasion: he is sick.’” In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Third substory Soon afterwards, during the robe-giving season, people prepared a meal together with robe-cloth and then invited the monks, saying, “We wish to offer a meal and give robe-cloth.” But knowing that the Buddha had prohibited eating a meal before another and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not accept. As a result, they only got a small amount of robe-cloth. They told the Buddha. … “Monks, I allow you to eat a meal before another during the robe-giving season. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Third preliminary ruling ‘If a monk eats a meal before another, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.

These are the appropriate occasions: he is sick; it is the robe-giving season.’” In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Fourth substory Soon afterwards people invited the robe-making monks for a meal.

But knowing that the Buddha had prohibited eating a meal before another and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not accept. They told the Buddha. … “Monks, I allow you to eat a meal before another at a time when you are making robes. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘If a monk eats a meal before another, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing confession.

These are the appropriate occasions: he is sick; it is the robe-giving season; it is a time of making robes.’” In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Fifth substory