[713] Regarding the phrase "Not gaining these, one should eat what is blameless (ete aladdhā anavajjabhojī)": there is the person who eats what is blameworthy (sāvajjabhojī), and there is the person who eats what is blameless (anavajjabhojī).
And which is the person who eats what is blameworthy? Here a certain person, by scheming (kuhanā), by cajolery (lapanā), by hinting (nemittakatā), by belittling (nippesikatā), by pursuing gain with gain (lābhena lābhaṃ nijigiṃsanatā), by giving wood, by giving bamboo, by giving leaves, by giving flowers, by giving bathing requisites, by giving powder, by giving clay, by giving tooth-sticks, by giving water for rinsing the mouth, by the desire for self-display (pātukamyatā), by bean-soup talk (muggasūpatā), by fondling servility (pāribhaṭyatā), by backbiting — "eating the flesh of another's back" (parapiṭṭhimaṃsikatā), by the science of sites (vatthuvijjā), by the base arts (tiracchānavijjā), by the science of limbs (aṅgavijjā), by the science of the constellations (nakkhattavijjā), by going as an envoy, by going on errands, by carrying messages on foot, by medical practice, by messenger-work, by giving almsfood in return for almsfood, by giving gift in return for gift — having gained, having obtained, having received, having acquired, having found [these things] unrighteously and unevenly, makes his living thereby. This person is called one who eats what is blameworthy.
And which is the person who eats what is blameless? Here a certain person, not by scheming, not by cajolery, not by hinting, not by belittling, not by pursuing gain with gain, not by giving wood, not by giving bamboo, not by giving leaves, not by giving flowers, not by giving bathing requisites, not by giving powder, not by giving clay, not by giving tooth-sticks, not by giving water for rinsing the mouth, not by the desire for self-display, not by bean-soup talk, not by fondling servility, not by backbiting — "eating the flesh of another's back," not by the science of sites, not by the base arts, not by the science of limbs, not by the science of the constellations, not by going as an envoy, not by going on errands, not by carrying messages on foot, not by medical practice, not by messenger-work, not by giving almsfood in return for almsfood, not by giving gift in return for gift — having gained, having obtained, having received, having acquired, having found [these things] righteously and evenly, makes his living thereby. This person is called one who eats what is blameless.
"Not gaining these, one should eat what is blameless": not gaining, not obtaining, not receiving, not acquiring, not finding these [companions] — thus "not gaining these, one should eat what is blameless." One should wander alone like a rhinoceros horn. Therefore that Paccekasambuddha said:
Surely we praise the accomplishment of companions;
companions who are better or equal should be resorted to.
Not gaining these, eating what is blameless,
one should wander alone like a rhinoceros horn.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.