Dilemma the Forty-SecondModeration In Food

‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said:
“Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.”
But on the other hand he said:
Now there were several days, Udāyin, on which I ate out of this bowl when it was full to the brim, and ate even more.”
‘Now if the first rule be true, then the second statement must be false. But if the statement be true, then the rule first quoted must be wrong.
. This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’
‘Both the passages you have quoted, O king, were spoken by the Blessed One. But the former passage is a statement as to the nature of things, an inclusive statement, a statement which leaves no room for anything to be supplemented to it, or added to it in the way of gloss, a statement of what is true and real and in accordance with the facts, and that cannot be proved wrong, a declaration made by the prophets, and sages, and teachers, and Arahats, and by the Buddhas who are wise for themselves alone (Pacceka-Buddhas), a declaration made by the Conquerors, and by the All-wise Ones, a declaration made too by the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the Supreme Buddha himself. He who has no self-control as regards the stomach, O king, will destroy living creatures, will take possession of what has not been given to him, will be unchaste, will speak lies, will drink strong drink, will put his mother or his father to death, will slay an Arahat, will create a schism in the Order, will even with malice aforethought wound a Tathāgata. Was it not, O king, when without restraint as to his stomach, that Devadatta by breaking up the Order, heaped up for himself karma that would endure for a kalpa ? It was on calling to mind this, O king, and many other things of the same kind, that the Blessed One declared:
Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.”
‘And he who has self-control as regards the stomach gains a clear insight into the Four Truths, realises the Four Fruits of the life of renunciation, and attains to mastery over the Four Discriminations, the Eight Attainments, and the Six Modes of Higher Knowledge, and fulfils all that goes to constitute the life of the recluse. Did not the parrot fledgling, O king, by self-restraint as to his stomach, cause the very heaven of the great Thirty-Three to shake, and bring down Sakka, the king of the gods, to wait upon him ? It was on calling to mind this, O king, and many other things of a similar kind, that the Blessed One declared:
“Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.”
‘But when, O king, the Blessed One said: “Now there were several days, Udāyi, on which I ate out of this bowl when it was full to the brim, and ate even more,” that was said by him who had completed his task, who had finished all that he had to do, who had accomplished the end he set before him, who had overcome every obstruction, by the self-dependent Tathāgata himself about himself. Just, O king, as it is desirable that a sick man to whom an emetic, or a purge, or a clyster has been administered, should be treated with a tonic; just so, O king, should the man who is full of evil, and who has not perceived the Four Truths, adopt the practice of restraint in the matter of eating. But just, O king, as there is no necessity of polishing, and rubbing down, and purifying a diamond gem of great brilliancy, of the finest water, and of natural purity; just so, O king, is there no restraint as to what actions he should perform, on the Tathāgata, on him who hath attained to perfection in all that lies within the scope of a Buddha.’
‘Very good, Nāgasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’
[Here ends the dilemma as to restraint in eating.]