[495] Now at that time a certain caravan (sattha) wished to travel westward from Rājagaha. A certain alms-gathering bhikkhu entered that caravan for alms. A certain lay follower had parched-grain flour (sattu) given to that bhikkhu. He, having gone out, told another; he had parched-grain flour given to that one also. He, having gone out, told another; he had parched-grain flour given to that one also. The provisions that had been prepared were exhausted.
Then that lay follower said to those people: "Sirs, wait for today. The provisions that had been prepared have been given to the venerable ones; I will prepare provisions." "It is not possible to wait, sir; the caravan has set out," they said, and they departed.
Then, as that lay follower, having prepared provisions, was going along afterwards, robbers robbed him. People looked down upon, criticized, and spread it about, saying: "How can the ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, accept without knowing moderation? This man, having given to them, going along afterwards, was robbed by robbers."
The bhikkhus heard those people looking down upon, criticizing, and spreading it about. Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on that ground, on that occasion, having given a talk on the Dhamma, addressed the bhikkhus: "Well then, bhikkhus, I shall lay down a training rule for the bhikkhus, on account of ten reasons: for the excellence of the Saṅgha, for the comfort of the Saṅgha … for the support of the Vinaya. And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule:
"Should a bhikkhu who has approached a family be invited to take as much as he wishes of cakes (pūva) or grain-meal cakes (mantha), a bhikkhu who so desires may accept two or three bowlfuls. Should he accept more than that, it is an offense of pācittiya. Having accepted two or three bowlfuls, having carried them away from there, he should share them together with the bhikkhus. This is the proper conduct (sāmīci) in that case."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.