[508] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground (Kalandakanivāpa). Now at that time there was a hilltop festival (giraggasamajja) in Rājagaha. The bhikkhus of the group of seventeen went to see the hilltop festival. People, seeing the group-of-seventeen bhikkhus, bathed them, anointed them, fed them a meal, and gave them food to be chewed (khādanīya). The group-of-seventeen bhikkhus, taking the food to be chewed, went to the monastery and said this to the group-of-six bhikkhus: "Take the food, friends, and chew it."
"From where, friends, did you obtain this food?"
The group-of-seventeen bhikkhus told this matter to the group-of-six bhikkhus.
"But do you, friends, eat a meal at the wrong time (vikāla)?"
"It is so, friends."
The group-of-six bhikkhus complained, criticized, and spread it about: "How indeed can the group-of-seventeen bhikkhus eat a meal at the wrong time?" Then the group-of-six bhikkhus informed the bhikkhus of this matter. Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes … complained, criticized, and spread it about: "How indeed can the group-of-seventeen bhikkhus eat a meal at the wrong time?" …
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that you eat a meal at the wrong time?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How indeed can you, foolish men, eat a meal at the wrong time? This, foolish men, is not for the confidence of those without confidence, nor for the increase of those already confident …
"And thus, bhikkhus, should you recite this training rule (sikkhāpada):
"Whatever bhikkhu should chew food to be chewed, or eat food to be eaten (bhojanīya), at the wrong time, there is an offense of expiation (pācittiya)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.