Garudhamma 4

Not to accept first.

Explanation

A bhikkhunī may not accept food, rooms and buildings, or beds and mats before a bhikkhu. If someone invites a bhikkhunī for a meal, she should say: “Invite the respected bhikkhu sangha first.” If they say: “I don’t have respect for them. I truly want to invite the bhikkhunīs,” she should say: “I also don’t accept it.” If they say: “I’ve previously already invited the (bhikkhu) sangha for breakfast and lunch. I’ve already invited them together with others, but I haven’t yet invited the bhikkhunīs,” in that case, she should accept it. Even if they just give the (bhikkhu) sangha one mouthful of food first, and the bhikkhunīs later receive all kinds of good food, there’s no offense.

If someone comes and says: “I want to build a building for the bhikkhunīs,” she should say: “Build one for the respected bhikkhu sangha first.” If they say: “I don’t have respect for them. I truly want to build it for the bhikkhunīs,” she should say: “I also don’t accept it.” If they say: “I’ve previously already built a building, a dhamma hall, a sauna, a refectory, a gate house, a roofed well, a toilet, or a roofed foot-washing place for the (bhikkhu) sangha. I’ve already built it together with a group of people, but I haven’t yet built something for the bhikkhunīs,” in that case, she may accept it. Even if they just build a bed Pāli: mañca. Something seems to have been jumbled in this text, because a bed isn’t a building. In the Lokuttaravāda Sanskrit parallel, “mañca” is used as the example for the third category below, and doesn’t make sense here.* for the (bhikkhu) sangha first, and the bhikkhunīs later receive a large building, there’s no offense.

If someone comes to give the bhikkhunīs beds and mats, she should say: “Give to the respected bhikkhu sangha first.” If they say: “I don’t have respect for them,” she should say: “I also don’t accept it.” If they say: “I’ve previously already given beds, mats, pillows, blankets, and other bedding to the (bhikkhu) sangha, but I haven’t yet given to the bhikkhunīs,” in that case, she may accept it. Even if they just gave a small bed to the (bhikkhu) sangha first, and the bhikkhunīs later receive good beds and mats, there’s no offense. If a supporter hasn’t yet offered food, or beds and mats to the (bhikkhu) sangha, and the bhikkhunīs accept it first, they transgress against this rule of respect. This is what is called “a bhikkhunī may not accept food, or beds and mats first.” The fourth rule of respect is finished.