[425] If the time [of the meal] has been announced in the monastery, [a bhikkhu], covering the three circles, should dress himself evenly all around, bind on the waist-band (kāyabandhana), put on the outer robes (saṅghāṭi) folded in layers, fasten the knot, wash the bowl and, taking it, enter the village carefully and unhurriedly. He should not go walking ahead of the elder bhikkhus, overtaking them. He should go among the houses properly covered; he should go among the houses well restrained; he should go among the houses with eyes lowered; he should not go among the houses with robes hitched up; he should not go among the houses laughing loudly; he should go among the houses with little noise; he should not go among the houses swaying the body; he should not go among the houses swinging the arms; he should not go among the houses wagging the head; he should not go among the houses with arms akimbo; he should not go among the houses with the head covered; he should not go among the houses walking on tiptoe.
He should sit among the houses properly covered; he should sit among the houses well restrained; he should sit among the houses with eyes lowered; he should not sit among the houses with robes hitched up; he should not sit among the houses laughing loudly; he should sit among the houses with little noise; he should not sit among the houses swaying the body; he should not sit among the houses swinging the arms; he should not sit among the houses wagging the head; he should not sit among the houses with arms akimbo; he should not sit among the houses with the head covered; he should not sit among the houses clasping the knees. He should not sit encroaching upon the elder bhikkhus, nor should newly ordained bhikkhus be kept from a seat. He should not sit among the houses having spread out the outer robe [as a seat].
When water is being given, he should receive the water holding the bowl with both hands. Holding it low, the bowl should be washed carefully without scraping. If there is a water-receptacle, holding [the bowl] low, the water should be poured into the water-receptacle, [thinking]: "May the water-receptacle not be splashed with water, may the bhikkhus nearby not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water." If there is no water-receptacle, holding [the bowl] low, the water should be poured onto the ground, [thinking]: "May the bhikkhus nearby not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water."
When boiled rice is being given, he should receive the boiled rice holding the bowl with both hands; room should be made for the curry. If there is ghee or oil or special delicacies (uttaribhaṅga), the elder should say: "Provide an equal amount for all." The almsfood should be received attentively; the almsfood should be received with attention on the bowl; the almsfood should be received with curry in proper proportion; the almsfood should be received level with the rim. The elder should not eat until the rice has reached everyone. The almsfood should be eaten attentively; the almsfood should be eaten with attention on the bowl; the almsfood should be eaten methodically, in due order; the almsfood should be eaten with curry in proper proportion; the almsfood should not be eaten pressing down from the top of the heap; curry or condiments should not be covered over with rice out of desire for more; one who is not ill should not eat curry or rice having requested it for his own sake; the bowls of others should not be looked at with a fault-finding attitude; the mouthful should not be made too large; the morsel should be made rounded; the door of the mouth should not be opened while the mouthful has not been brought to it; while eating, the whole hand should not be put into the mouth; one should not speak with a mouthful in the mouth; one should not eat tossing up morsels; one should not eat biting off pieces from a mouthful; one should not eat stuffing out the cheeks; one should not eat shaking the hand about; one should not eat scattering rice grains; one should not eat sticking out the tongue; one should not eat making a chomping sound; one should not eat making a sucking sound; one should not eat licking the hand; one should not eat licking the bowl; one should not eat licking the lips; the drinking-water vessel should not be received with a hand soiled with food.
The elder should not receive water until all have finished eating. When water is being given, he should receive the water holding the bowl with both hands. Holding it low, the bowl should be washed carefully without scraping. If there is a water-receptacle, holding [the bowl] low, the water should be poured into the water-receptacle, [thinking]: "May the water-receptacle not be splashed with water, may the bhikkhus nearby not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water." If there is no water-receptacle, holding [the bowl] low, the water should be poured onto the ground, [thinking]: "May the bhikkhus nearby not be splashed with water, may the outer robe not be splashed with water." Bowl-washing water containing rice grains should not be discarded among the houses.
When returning, the newly ordained bhikkhus should turn back first, the elders afterwards. He should go among the houses properly covered; he should go among the houses well restrained; he should go among the houses with eyes lowered; he should not go among the houses with robes hitched up; he should not go among the houses laughing loudly; he should go among the houses with little noise; he should not go among the houses swaying the body; he should not go among the houses swinging the arms; he should not go among the houses wagging the head; he should not go among the houses with arms akimbo; he should not go among the houses with the head covered; he should not go among the houses walking on tiptoe.
Bhikkhus, this is the duty of bhikkhus in the refectory (bhattaggavatta), how bhikkhus should conduct themselves properly in the refectory.
The first recitation section (paṭhamabhāṇavāra) is finished.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.