The time of the Buddha in ancient India.
What kind of life did the ordained practitioners as bhikkhus lead?

In the sutras, scenes that tell us what it was like in those days appear frequently.
These scenes should be directly applicable to our modern life of ascetic practice.

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I heard it this way.

On one occasion, His Eminence was staying in a brick hall near Nadikar. At that time, His Eminence Anuruddha, His Eminence Nandiya, and His Eminence Kimbira were staying in the Gosinga Sāra forest.

In the evening, His Eminence came out of meditation and went to the Gosinga Sāra forest. The forest guard saw him coming from a distance and said to Buddha, “O ascetic! The guardian of the forest saw him coming from afar and said to Buddha, “O ascetic, do not enter the forest. Three sons of good families live here, and they want to lead their own holy lives. Do not disturb them.”

Venerable Anuruddha heard the forest guardian conversing with the Venerable. The forest guard, please don’t disturb the Venerable One. It is our master, the Venerable Sezon, who has arrived!”

Then Venerable Anuruddha went to Venerable Nandiya and Venerable Kimbira, and upon their arrival said to them Venerable Anuruddha then went to Nandiya and Kimbira! Venerable Anuruddha then went to Nandiya and Kimbila! Our master, the Holy One, has arrived!

Then Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimbila came outside to greet the guru. One received His Eminence’s robe and bowl, the other prepared a chair, and the other prepared water for washing feet. He sat down on the prepared chair and sat down to wash his feet. They bowed to Him and then sat on one side. As they sat there, He said to Anuruddha, “O Anuruddhas! Anuruddha, can you bear it? Are you managing? Is it not hard for you to go begging for alms?”

They said, “Oh, holy ones, we can bear it. Oh, holy ones, we are managing. And we are not tired of going to the begging bowl, O Lord.”

“But, Anuruddhas, do you live in harmony, wholeheartedly, without strife, mingling like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes?”

“Yes, Lord, we live in harmony, sincerely, without strife, mingling like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes.”

“But how, Anuruddhas, do you live in harmony, sincerely, without strife, mingling like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes?”

“Here, Lord, I think thus. it is of great profit to me to live in such company in the holy life. I am determined to physically show my acts of good will toward these saints, both face to face and behind their backs. I am determined to show these dignitaries, face to face and behind their backs, acts of good will with my words. I think: ‘Why do I abandon my heart? Why don’t I abandon my own mind and act according to the mind of these Venerables?’ Therefore, I will abandon my own mind and act according to the mind of these Venerable Ones. We have separate bodies, but our minds, so to speak, are one, Lord.”

Nandiya and Kimbira said to the Venerable. Nandiya and Kimbira said to Sezon: “Lord, I also thought: ‘This is for my benefit. This is a benefit to me. It is a great benefit. We are physically separate, but in our hearts we are one, so to speak.”

“Lord, this is how we live in harmony, wholeheartedly, without strife, mingling like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes.”

“But, Anuruddhas, do you remain attentive, diligent, and decisive?”

“Yes, Lord, we are attentive, zealous, and decisive.”

“But how, O Anuruddhas, do you remain attentive, zealous, and resolute?”

“The first one to go to the village to give alms and return first, O Lord, arranges the chairs, prepares drinking water and running water, and prepares the trash cans. Those who return later after going to the village to give alms will eat the leftovers, if there are any, if they want to. If they do not want to eat it, they throw it away in a place free of green grass or in water free of living creatures. The seating area is cleared, the drinking water and used water are put away, the trash cans are washed and put away, and the dining room is swept.”

“Anyone who sees drinking water containers, used water containers, or bathroom wash water containers running low or empty will refill them. If he thinks, ‘It’s too heavy for me,’ he claps his hands twice and calls for someone else, and together they refill the drinking or used water containers. But for this we do not exchange words.”

“And every five days we sit together all night and discuss the Dharma. That way we can remain attentive, diligent, and resolute.”

MN31_Cūlagosingasāla Sutta #1

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