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15. Nisīdanasanthatasikkhāpada

The training rule on sitting-blankets

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi—“icchāmahaṁ, bhikkhave, temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.
There the Buddha addressed the monks: “Monks, I wish to do a solitary retreat for three months.

Namhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakenā”ti.
No one should visit me except the one who brings me almsfood.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissuṇitvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.
“Yes, Sir,” they replied, and no one visited him except the one who brought him almsfood.

Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyā saṅghena katikā katā hoti—
Soon afterwards the Sangha at Sāvatthī made the following agreement:

“icchatāvuso, bhagavā temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.
“The Buddha wishes to be on solitary retreat for three months.

Na bhagavā kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.
No one should visit him except the one who brings him almsfood.

Yo bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati so pācittiyaṁ desāpetabbo”ti.
Anyone who does must confess an offense entailing confession.”

Atha kho āyasmā upaseno vaṅgantaputto, sapariso yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Just then Venerable Upasena of Vaṅganta and his followers went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down.

Āciṇṇaṁ kho panetaṁ buddhānaṁ bhagavantānaṁ āgantukehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paṭisammodituṁ. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ vaṅgantaputtaṁ etadavoca—
Since it is the custom for Buddhas to greet newly arrived monks, the Buddha said this to Upasena,

“kacci vo, upasena, khamanīyaṁ kacci yāpanīyaṁ,
“I hope you’re keeping well, Upasena, I hope you’re getting by?

kaccittha appakilamathena addhānaṁ āgatā”ti?
I hope you’re not tired from traveling?”

“Khamanīyaṁ, bhagavā, yāpanīyaṁ, bhagavā.
“We’re keeping well, Sir, we’re getting by.

Appakilamathena ca mayaṁ, bhante, addhānaṁ āgatā”ti.
We’re not tired from traveling.”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa saddhivihāriko bhikkhu bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti. Atha kho bhagavā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca—
One of Upasena’s students was seated not far from the Buddha, and the Buddha said to him,

“manāpāni te, bhikkhu, paṁsukūlānī”ti?
“Do you like rag-robes, monk?”

“Na kho me, bhante, manāpāni paṁsukūlānī”ti.
“I don’t like rag-robes, Sir.”

“Kissa pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, paṁsukūliko”ti?
“Why then do you wear them?”

“Upajjhāyo me, bhante, paṁsukūliko. Evaṁ ahampi paṁsukūliko”ti.
“My preceptor wears them, and so I do it too.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ vaṅgantaputtaṁ etadavoca—“pāsādikā kho tyāyaṁ, upasena, parisā.
And the Buddha said to Upasena, “Upasena, your followers are inspiring.

Kathaṁ tvaṁ, upasena, parisaṁ vinesī”ti?
How do you train them?”

“Yo maṁ, bhante, upasampadaṁ yācati tamahaṁ evaṁ vadāmi—
“When anyone asks me for the full ordination, I tell him this:

‘ahaṁ kho, āvuso, āraññiko piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko.
‘I stay in the wilderness, I eat only almsfood, and I wear rag-robes.

Sace tvampi āraññiko bhavissasi piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko, evāhaṁ taṁ upasampādessāmī’ti.
If you do the same, I’ll give you the full ordination.’

Sace me paṭissuṇāti upasampādemi, no ce me paṭissuṇāti na upasampādemi.
If he agrees, I ordain him. Otherwise I don’t.

Yo maṁ nissayaṁ yācati tamahaṁ evaṁ vadāmi—
And I do the same when anyone asks me for support.

‘ahaṁ kho, āvuso, āraññiko piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko.

Sace tvampi āraññiko bhavissasi piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko, evāhaṁ te nissayaṁ dassāmī’ti.

Sace me paṭissuṇāti nissayaṁ demi, no ce me paṭissuṇāti na nissayaṁ demi.

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, parisaṁ vinemī”ti.
It’s in this way that I train my followers.”

“Sādhu sādhu, upasena. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, upasena, parisaṁ vinesi.
“Good, Upasena, you train your followers well.

Jānāsi pana tvaṁ, upasena, sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikan”ti?
But do you know the agreement made by the Sangha at Sāvatthī?”

“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikan”ti.
“No.”

“Sāvatthiyā kho, upasena, saṅghena katikā katā—
“The Sangha at Sāvatthī has made the following agreement:

‘icchatāvuso, bhagavā temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.
‘The Buddha wishes to be on solitary retreat for three months.

Na bhagavā kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.
No one should visit him except the one who brings him almsfood.

Yo bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati so pācittiyaṁ desāpetabbo’”ti.
Anyone who does must confess an offense entailing confession.’”

“Paññāyissati, bhante, sāvatthiyā saṅgho sakāya katikāya,
“Sir, let the Sangha at Sāvatthī be known for this agreement.

na mayaṁ apaññattaṁ paññapessāma paññattaṁ vā na samucchindissāma,
We, however, don’t lay down new rules, nor do we get rid of the existing ones.

yathāpaññattesu sikkhāpadesu samādāya vattissāmā”ti.
We practice and undertake the training rules as they are.”

“Sādhu sādhu, upasena,
“Good, Upasena.

apaññattaṁ na paññapetabbaṁ, paññattaṁ vā na samucchinditabbaṁ,
One should not lay down new rules, nor should one get rid of the existing ones.

yathāpaññattesu sikkhāpadesu samādāya vattitabbaṁ.
One should practice and undertake the training rules as they are.

Anujānāmi, upasena, ye te bhikkhū āraññikā piṇḍapātikā paṁsukūlikā yathāsukhaṁ maṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamantū”ti.
And, Upasena, I allow those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit me whenever they please.”

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhitā honti—“mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ vaṅgantaputtaṁ pācittiyaṁ desāpessāmā”ti.
Upasena and his followers got up from their seats, bowed down, circumambulated the Buddha with their right sides toward him, and left.

Atha kho āyasmā upaseno vaṅgantaputto sapariso uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
Just then a number of monks were standing outside the gateway, thinking, “We’ll make Venerable Upasena confess an offense entailing confession.”

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ vaṅgantaputtaṁ etadavocuṁ—“jānāsi tvaṁ, āvuso upasena, sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikan”ti.
And they said to Upasena, “Upasena, do you know the agreement of the Sangha at Sāvatthī?”

“Bhagavāpi maṁ, āvuso, evamāha—‘jānāsi pana tvaṁ, upasena, sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikan’ti? ‘Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikan’ti.
“The Buddha asked me the same question, and I replied that I didn’t.

‘Sāvatthiyā kho, upasena, saṅghena katikā katā—
He then told me what it was, and I said,

icchatāvuso, bhagavā temāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.

Na bhagavā kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.

Yo bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati so pācittiyaṁ desāpetabbo’ti.

‘Paññāyissati, bhante, sāvatthiyā saṅgho sakāya katikāya,
‘Sir, let the Sangha at Sāvatthī be known for this agreement.

na mayaṁ apaññattaṁ paññapessāma paññattaṁ vā na samucchindissāma,
We, however, don’t lay down new rules, nor do we get rid of the existing ones.

yathāpaññattesu sikkhāpadesu samādāya vattissāmā’ti.
We practice and undertake the training rules as they are.’

Anuññātāvuso, bhagavatā—‘ye te bhikkhū āraññikā piṇḍapātikā paṁsukūlikā yathāsukhaṁ maṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamantū’”ti.
Also, the Buddha has allowed those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit him whenever they please.”

Atha kho te bhikkhū—“saccaṁ kho āyasmā upaseno āha—
Those monks thought, “It’s true what Venerable Upasena says.”

‘na apaññattaṁ paññapetabbaṁ, paññattaṁ vā na samucchinditabbaṁ, yathāpaññattesu sikkhāpadesu samādāya vattitabban’”ti.

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū—“anuññātā kira bhagavatā—‘ye te bhikkhū āraññikā piṇḍapātikā paṁsukūlikā yathāsukhaṁ maṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamantū’”ti.
The monks heard that the Buddha had allowed those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit him whenever they please.

Te bhagavantaṁ dassanaṁ pihentā santhatāni ujjhitvā āraññikaṅgaṁ piṇḍapātikaṅgaṁ paṁsukūlikaṅgaṁ samādiyiṁsu.
Longing to see the Buddha, they discarded their blankets and undertook the practice of staying in the wilderness, of eating only almsfood, and of wearing rag-robes.

Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ senāsanacārikaṁ āhiṇḍanto addasa santhatāni tahaṁ tahaṁ ujjhitāni.
Soon afterwards, when the Buddha and a number of monks were walking about the dwellings, he saw discarded blankets here and there.

Passitvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“kassimāni, bhikkhave, santhatāni tahaṁ tahaṁ ujjhitānī”ti?
He asked the monks, “Who owns these discarded blankets?”

Atha kho te bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.
The monks told him.

Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“tena hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmi dasa atthavase paṭicca—
“Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the following ten reasons:

saṅghasuṭṭhutāya, saṅghaphāsutāya …pe…
for the well-being of the Sangha, for the comfort of the Sangha, for the restraint of bad people, for the ease of good monks, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to the present life, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to future lives, to give rise to confidence in those without it, to increase the confidence of those who have it, for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training.

evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Nisīdanasanthataṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthi ādātabbā dubbaṇṇakaraṇāya,
‘If a monk is having a sitting-blanket made, he must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket in order to make it ugly.

anādā ce bhikkhu purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthiṁ navaṁ nisīdanasanthataṁ kārāpeyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
If he has a new sitting-blanket made without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Nisīdanaṁ nāma
Sitting(-blanket):

sadasaṁ vuccati.
one with a border is what is meant.

Santhataṁ nāma
A blanket:

santharitvā kataṁ hoti avāyimaṁ.
it is made by strewing, not by weaving.

Kārayamānenāti
Is having made:

karonto vā kārāpento vā.
making it himself or having it made.

Purāṇasanthataṁ nāma
An old blanket:

sakiṁ nivatthampi sakiṁ pārutampi.
even worn once.

Sāmantā sugatavidatthi ādātabbā dubbaṇṇakaraṇāyāti
He must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border in order to make it ugly:

thirabhāvāya vaṭṭaṁ vā caturassaṁ vā chinditvā ekadese vā santharitabbaṁ vijaṭetvā vā santharitabbaṁ.
to make it strong, he cuts out a circular or a rectangular piece, and he then incorporates it in one place or he strews it on after pulling it apart.

Anādā ce bhikkhu purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthinti
Without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket:

anādiyitvā purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthiṁ navaṁ nisīdanasanthataṁ karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ,
if he makes a new sitting-blanket, or has one made, without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

paṭilābhena nissaggiyaṁ hoti.
When he gets the sitting-blanket, it becomes subject to relinquishment.

Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā.
The sitting-blanket should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbaṁ.
“And, monks, it should be relinquished like this.

…pe…
(To be expanded as in <a href='https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-np1/en/brahmali#3.2.5'>Bu Np 1:3.2.5</a>–3.2.29, with appropriate substitutions.)

“idaṁ me, bhante, nisīdanasanthataṁ anādiyitvā purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthiṁ kārāpitaṁ nissaggiyaṁ.
‘Venerables, this sitting-blanket, which I got made without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, is to be relinquished.

Imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe…
I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ …

dadeyyāti …pe…
the Sangha should give …

dadeyyunti …pe…
you should give …

āyasmato dammīti.
‘I give this sitting-blanket back to you.’”

Attanā vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

Aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If he makes one, or has one made, for the sake of another, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Anāpatti—
There is no offense:

purāṇasanthatassa sāmantā sugatavidatthiṁ ādiyitvā karoti,
if he makes one incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket;

alabhanto thokataraṁ ādiyitvā karoti,
if he is unable to get hold of such a piece and he makes one incorporating a smaller piece;

alabhanto anādiyitvā karoti,
if he is unable to get hold of such a smaller piece and he makes one without;

aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati,
if he gets what was made by another and then uses it;

vitānaṁ vā bhūmattharaṇaṁ vā sāṇipākāraṁ vā bhisiṁ vā bibbohanaṁ vā karoti,
if he makes a canopy, a floor cover, a cloth screen, a mattress, or a pillow;

ummattakassa,
if he is insane;

ādikammikassāti.
if he is the first offender.

Nisīdanasanthatasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.
The training rule on sitting-blankets, the fifth, is finished.