Chapter 21

21.

1. Now at that time edible fruit was very plentiful in Sâvatthi, but there was no one to make it allowable ². And the Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not eat of it.

They told that thing to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to eat fruit which has not yet had any seed in it, or which has no more seed in it, even without any one being there to make it allowable ³.'

Footnotes

78:2 See above, VI, 17, 7.

78:3 Buddhaghosa says, abîgan ti taruna-phalam; yassa bîgam aṅkuram na ganeti. Nibbatta-bîgan (nivatta-bîgan?) ti bîgam nibbattetva (nivattetvâ?) apanetvâ.