[64] People heard: "It is said that the Blessed One has allowed the bhikkhus rice-gruel and honey-balls (madhugoḷaka)." So early in the morning they prepared thick gruel (bhojjayāgu) and honey-balls. The bhikkhus, sated early in the morning with thick gruel and honey-balls, did not eat in the refectory as much as expected.
Now at that time the Order of bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head had been invited for the morrow's meal by a certain newly confident chief minister. Then it occurred to that newly confident chief minister: "What if I were to prepare twelve hundred and fifty servings of meat for the twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhus, and present one serving of meat to each bhikkhu?" Then that newly confident chief minister, when that night had passed, having had fine hard and soft food prepared, together with the twelve hundred and fifty servings of meat, had the time announced to the Blessed One: "It is time, venerable sir; the meal is ready."
Then the Blessed One, in the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, approached the residence of that newly confident chief minister; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat together with the Order of bhikkhus. Then that newly confident chief minister served the bhikkhus in the refectory. The bhikkhus said: "Give only a little, friend; give only a little, friend." He said: "Venerable sirs, do not accept only a little, a little, thinking, 'This is a newly confident chief minister.' Much hard and soft food has been prepared by me, together with twelve hundred and fifty servings of meat; I will present one serving of meat to each bhikkhu. Accept, venerable sirs, as much as you need." "It is not for that reason, friend, that we accept only a little, a little; but we were sated early this morning with thick gruel and honey-balls; that is why we accept only a little, a little."
Then that newly confident chief minister looked down upon them, criticized them, and spread it about, saying: "How can the venerable ones, when invited by me, eat another's thick gruel? Am I not able to give as much as they need?" Angry, displeased, and intent on giving offense, he went about filling the bhikkhus' bowls, saying: "Eat it or carry it away!" Then that newly confident chief minister, having with his own hand served and satisfied the Order of bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head with fine hard and soft food, when the Blessed One had eaten and had withdrawn his hand from the bowl, sat down to one side.
As he sat to one side, the Blessed One, having instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened that newly confident chief minister with a talk on the Dhamma, rose from his seat and departed. Then, not long after the Blessed One had departed, uneasiness arose, remorse arose in that newly confident chief minister: "It is a loss for me indeed! It is no gain for me indeed! It is ill-gotten for me indeed! It is not well-gotten for me indeed! — in that I, angry, displeased, and intent on giving offense, went about filling the bhikkhus' bowls, saying, 'Eat it or carry it away!' What have I generated in abundance — merit or demerit?"
Then that newly confident chief minister approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that newly confident chief minister said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, uneasiness arose in me, remorse arose: 'It is a loss for me indeed! It is no gain for me indeed! It is ill-gotten for me indeed! It is not well-gotten for me indeed! — in that I, angry, displeased, and intent on giving offense, went about filling the bhikkhus' bowls, saying, "Eat it or carry it away!" What have I generated in abundance — merit or demerit?' What indeed, venerable sir, have I generated in abundance — merit or demerit?"
"From the moment, friend, that you invited the Order of bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head for the morrow's meal, from that moment much merit was generated by you. From the moment that each single lump of boiled rice of yours was received by each single bhikkhu, from that moment much merit was generated by you. Heaven has been secured by you."
Then that newly confident chief minister, thinking, "It is a gain for me, it seems! It was well-gotten for me, it seems! Much merit, it seems, has been generated by me! Heaven, it seems, has been secured by me!" — delighted and elated, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side toward him, and departed.
Then the Blessed One, on that occasion and in that connection, having had the Order of bhikkhus convened, questioned the bhikkhus: "Is it true, as is said, bhikkhus, that bhikkhus, having been invited elsewhere, eat another's thick gruel?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Awakened One, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How, bhikkhus, can those foolish men, having been invited elsewhere, eat another's thick gruel? This, bhikkhus, is not for the confidence of those without confidence …" Having rebuked them and given a talk on the Dhamma, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, one who has been invited elsewhere should not eat another's thick gruel. Whoever should eat it is to be dealt with according to the rule."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.