Tela is sesame oil, mahwa oil, castor oil, animal fat, or other kinds of oil traditionally used in medicine. Tela is used to prepare delicious food (paṇītabhojanāni), but for a monk to take such food is an offense of pācittiya for a bhikku and pāṭidesanīya for a bhikkuni.
Monks may store oil for seven days. If the oil is stored for more than seven days it is an offense of nissaggiya pācittiya.
Tela is regarded as lickable (pāṭisāyanīyani).