‘If a monk asks for any of these kinds of fine foods for himself—that is, ghee, butter, oil, honey, syrup, fish, meat, milk, and curd—and then eats it, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

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

Second substory At one time a number of monks were sick. The monks who were looking after them asked, “I hope you’re bearing up? I hope you’re getting better?” “Previously we ate fine foods that we had requested ourselves, and then we were comfortable. But now that the Buddha has prohibited this, we don’t request because we’re afraid of wrongdoing. And because of that we’re not comfortable.” They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow a sick monk to eat fine foods that he has requested for himself. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘If a monk who is not sick asks for any of these kinds of fine foods for himself—that is, ghee, butter, oil, honey, syrup, fish, meat, milk, and curd—and then eats it, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions These kinds of fine foods: Ghee: ghee from cows, ghee from goats, ghee from buffaloes, or ghee from whatever animal whose meat is allowable. Butter: butter from those same animals. Oil: sesame oil, mustard oil, honey-tree oil, castor oil, oil from fat.