Bu Pc 89

89. Nisīdanasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ nisīdanaṁ anuññātaṁ hoti. Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū— “bhagavatā nisīdanaṁ anuññātan”ti appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhārenti. Mañcassapi pīṭhassapi puratopi pacchatopi olambenti. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhāressantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhārethā”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhāressatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Making an oversize sitting mat Origin story First substory

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, he allowed sitting mats for the monks. Knowing this, the monks from the group of six used sitting mats that were inappropriate in size. The sitting mats hung down from beds and benches, both in front and behind. The monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can the monks from the group of six use such sitting mats?” … “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Nisīdanaṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ.

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk is having a sitting mat made, it is to be made the right size.

Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ—dīghaso dve vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ diyaḍḍhaṁ. Taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide. If it exceeds that, it is to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’” In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī mahākāyo hoti. So bhagavato purato nisīdanaṁ paññapetvā samantato samañchamāno nisīdati. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca— “kissa tvaṁ, udāyi, nisīdanaṁ samantato samañchasi; seyyathāpi purāṇāsikoṭṭho”ti? “Tathā hi pana, bhante, bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ atikhuddakaṁ nisīdanaṁ anuññātan”ti. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, nisīdanassa dasaṁ vidatthiṁ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Second substory

At that time there was a big monk called Venerable Udāyī. After putting out his sitting mat in front of the Buddha, he stretched it on all sides before sitting down. The Buddha asked him, “Udāyī, why are you stretching the sitting mat on all sides, as if an old hide?” “Because, sir, the sitting mat you’ve allowed for the monks is too small.” Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow a border of one handspan for the sitting mat. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Nisīdanaṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ.

Final ruling

‘If a monk is having a sitting mat made, it should be made the right size.

Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ—dīghaso dve vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ diyaḍḍhaṁ. Dasā vidatthi. Taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.

This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide, and a border of one handspan. If it exceeds that, it is to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Nisīdanaṁ nāma sadasaṁ vuccati. Kārayamānenāti karonto vā kārāpento vā pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ. Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ— dīghaso dve vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ diyaḍḍhaṁ. Dasā vidatthi. Taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. Paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

Definitions

A sitting mat: one with a border is what is meant. Is having made: making it himself or having it made, it should be made the right size. This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide, and a border of one handspan. If he makes one, or has one made, that exceeds that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets it, it is to be cut down, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession.

Attanā vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he makes one or has one made for the benefit of someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he gets one that was made by someone else and then uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Anāpatti— pamāṇikaṁ karoti, ūnakaṁ karoti, aññena kataṁ pamāṇātikkantaṁ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati, vitānaṁ vā bhūmattharaṇaṁ vā sāṇipākāraṁ vā bhisiṁ vā bibbohanaṁ vā karoti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he makes it the right size; if he makes it smaller than the right size; if he gets one made by another that exceeds the right size and then cuts it down before using it; if he makes a canopy, a floor cover, a cloth screen, a mattress, or a pillow; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.