Among the precepts in Pātimokkha, apart from the four fundamentals of no killing, no stealing, no sexual conduct and no lying on spiritual attainment, all the rest should be maintained in general, but can be relaxed under certain circumstances. According to the Bodhisatta Rules, all must serve the needs of benefiting sentient beings (Sattvārtha-kriyā sīla). Thus for lay Bodhisattas, even the four fundamentals may be relaxed as required for benefiting sentient beings. "Maintain" and "relax" are the terminology used in Vinaya texts. For instance, abstention from eating after midday must be observed in normal times, yet in case of illness, it can be broken if the afflicted need to take food after midday. The Chinese monks have to relax the precept of not eating after midday because they take part in farm work. In the temples of the Zen Sect, supper is called "chamber meal", since it was originally provided to the laborers in their rooms instead of in the dining hall. However, in later times, those who did not take part in labor also began to have supper.
比丘戒中除了不殺不盜不淫不妄四根本戒外,其余戒條平時應(yīng)當(dāng)“遮護(hù)”,在一定的情況下可以“開”(菩薩戒,一切服從“饒益有情戒”,在家菩薩為饒益有情故,四根本戒也可以開)。“開”與“遮”是戒律上的術(shù)語。如以過午不食為例,平時應(yīng)當(dāng)遮,但遇有某種疾病,必須午后進(jìn)食的人則可以開。我國僧人因勞動的緣故必須開過午不食的戒。禪宗寺廟把吃晚飯叫做房餐,本來是給參加勞動者在房里吃的,而不是在齋堂中大家吃的,但是后來不勞動的人也吃起晚飯來了。