Bu Pc 18

18. Vehāsakuṭisikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena dve bhikkhū saṅghike vihāre uparivehāsakuṭiyā eko heṭṭhā viharati, eko upari. Uparimo bhikkhu āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ sahasā abhinisīdi. Mañcapādo nippatitvā heṭṭhimassa bhikkhuno matthake avatthāsi. So bhikkhu vissaramakāsi. Bhikkhū upadhāvitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocuṁ— “kissa tvaṁ, āvuso, vissaramakāsī”ti? Atha kho so bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhu saṅghike vihāre uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ sahasā abhinisīdissatī”ti. Atha kho te bhikkhū taṁ bhikkhuṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, saṅghike vihāre uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ sahasā abhinisīdasī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, saṅghike vihāre uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ sahasā abhinisīdissasi. Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Sitting down on an upper story Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time two monks were staying in a dwelling with an upper story belonging to the Sangha, one staying below and one above. The monk above sat down hastily on a bed with detachable legs. A leg fell off and hit the monk below on the head. He cried out. Monks rushed up and asked him why, and he told them what had happened. The monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How could a monk sit down hastily on a bed with detachable legs on an upper story in a dwelling belonging to the Sangha?” After rebuking that monk in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monk, that you did this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how could you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu saṅghike vihāre uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā abhinisīdeyya vā abhinipajjeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a monk sits down or lies down on a bed or a bench with detachable legs on an upper story in a dwelling belonging to the Sangha, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yo panāti yo yādiso …pe… bhikkhūti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti. Saṅghiko nāma vihāro saṅghassa dinno hoti pariccatto. Vehāsakuṭi nāma majjhimassa purisassa asīsaghaṭṭā. Āhaccapādako nāma mañco aṅge vijjhitvā ṭhito hoti. Āhaccapādakaṁ nāma pīṭhaṁ aṅge vijjhitvā ṭhitaṁ hoti. Abhinisīdeyyāti tasmiṁ abhinisīdati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Abhinipajjeyyāti tasmiṁ abhinipajjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Definitions

A: whoever … Monk: …The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case. A dwelling belonging to the Sangha: given to the Sangha, given up to the Sangha. An upper story: a man of average height does not hit his head. A bed with detachable legs: it stands after inserting the limbs. A bench with detachable legs: it stands after inserting the limbs. Sits down: if he sits down on it, he commits an offense entailing confession. Lies down: if he lies down on it, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Saṅghike saṅghikasaññī uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa. Saṅghike vematiko …pe… saṅghike puggalikasaññī uparivehāsakuṭiyā āhaccapādakaṁ mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa. Puggalike saṅghikasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Puggalike vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Puggalike puggalikasaññī aññassa puggalike, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Attano puggalike, anāpatti.

Permutations

If it belongs to the Sangha, and he perceives it as such, and he sits down or lies down on a bed or a bench with detachable legs on an upper story, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it belongs to the Sangha, but he is unsure of it … If it belongs to the Sangha, but he perceives it as belonging to an individual, and he sits down or lies down on a bed or a bench with detachable legs on an upper story, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it belongs to an individual, but he perceives it as belonging to the Sangha, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it belongs to an individual, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it belongs to an individual, and he perceives it as such, but that individual is not himself, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it belongs to himself, there is no offense.

Anāpatti— avehāsakuṭiyā sīsaghaṭṭāya heṭṭhā aparibhogaṁ hoti, padarasañcitaṁ hoti, paṭāṇi dinnā hoti, tasmiṁ ṭhito gaṇhati vā laggeti vā, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if there is no upper story; if the upper story is so low that one hits the head; if the lower story is not in use; if the upper story has floorboards; if the legs are fastened by bolts; if he stands on it to get hold of something or to put something up; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.