How important is the Sixth Precept to monks and nuns? I can only speak from the Mahayana world but I'd be very interested in the Theravada side. I'm suspect it will be enlightening.

How important is the Sixth Precept to monks and nuns? In my experience the few that profess a claim to follow it refer to "noon" as something nebulous or in a different time zone. Every monastic I know eats after noon. Also if it doesn't have to be followed then why? It seems the bending of precepts can be a dangerous thing or like the proverb says "Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works".

Thank you so much for your time.
Here's an alleged quote from the Dalai Lama,


  After my lunch I come here to my office until about 5:30. Then at 6:00 I have my evening tea-as a Buddhist monk, no dinner, sometimes just a few biscuits or some bread. At that time I always watch BBC television. Then evening meditation for about one hour and at 8:30, sleep. Most important meditation! Sleep is the common meditation for everyone-even for birds. The most important meditation. Not for nirvana, but for survival!


In other words he "eats" but doesn't "have dinner".



In this video Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu explained why he prefered to eat once a day.
It's noticeable that both his companions laughed at time 12:15 of this video.