1. Now at that time there used to arise among the Bhikkhus a fear lest they should offend in
some particular or other, they thinking, 'Has this been permitted by the Blessed One, or has it not?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
'Whatsoever, O Bhikkhus, has not been disallowed by me in the words, "This beseems you not," then, if that thing is in accord with what is unlawful, and is contrary to what is lawful, that is not lawful. Whatsoever has not been disallowed by me with the words, "This beseems you not," then, if that thing is in accord with what is lawful, and is contrary to what is unlawful, that is lawful.
'And whatsoever, O Bhikkhus, has not been allowed by me with the words, "This beseems you," then, if that thing is in accord with what is lawful, and is contrary to what is unlawful, that is not lawful. Whatsoever has not been allowed by me with the words, "This beseems you," then, if that thing is in accord with what is lawful, and is contrary to what is unlawful, that is lawful 1.'
2. Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'Is food that may be eaten till the first watch of the night 2 lawful, or not, when mixed with food that ought to be eaten before noon on the same day? Is food that may be eaten at any time within seven days 3 lawful, or not, when mixed with food that ought to be eaten before noon on the same day? Is food that may be eaten at any time during life 4 lawful, or not, when mixed with food that ought to be eaten
before noon on the same day? Is food that may be eaten at any time within seven days lawful, or not, when mixed with food that may be eaten at any time during life? Is food that may be eaten at any time during life lawful, or not, when mixed with food that may be eaten at any time within seven days?'
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
3. 'Food that may be eaten up to the first watch of the night, or food that may be eaten at any time within seven days, or food that may be eaten at any time during life, is lawful, O Bhikkhus, when mixed with food that ought to be eaten before noon on the same day, up till noon-time, and it is-not lawful after noon-time. Food that may be eaten at any time within seven days, or food that may be eaten at any time during life, is lawful, O Bhikkhus,--when it has been mixed with food that may be eaten up to the first watch of the night,--up till the first watch of the night, and is not lawful after the first watch of the night. Food that may be eaten at any time during life, is lawful, O Bhikkhus,--when it has been mixed with food that may be eaten at any time within seven days,--at any time within seven days, and is not lawful beyond seven days 1.'
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Here ends the sixth Khandhaka on Medicaments.
144:1 The formal expressions referred to in these two paragraphs are precisely the expressions to which, in the Book of the Great Decease VI, 40, and in the Kullavagga XI, 1, r, Subhadda is stated to have taken such serious objection.
144:2 This refers to certain medicines; see Mahâvagga VI, 1, 5.
144:3 This also refers to certain medicines; see the 23rd Nissaggiya.
144:4 What this refers to is unknown to us.
145:1 Buddhaghosa says that this holds good if the two are so mixed that the taste (rasu) has become one (sambhinna). If the two are not so mixed, then they may be divided, and the part allow-able during the longer period may be enjoyed up to the end of that period. See I, 20, 9; V, 2, 1; VI, 16, 3; VIII, I, 24, and the notes there.