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89. Nisīdanasikkhāpada

The training rule on sitting mats

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

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ nisīdanaṁ anuññātaṁ hoti.
he allowed sitting mats for the monks.

Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū—

“bhagavatā nisīdanaṁ anuññātan”ti appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhārenti.
Knowing this, the monks from the group of six used sitting mats that were inappropriate in size.

Mañcassapi pīṭhassapi puratopi pacchatopi olambenti.
The sitting mats hung down from beds and benches, both in front and behind.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,

“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhāressantī”ti …pe…
“How can the monks from the group of six use such sitting mats?” …

“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhārethā”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, appamāṇikāni nisīdanāni dhāressatha.
“Foolish men, how can you do this?

Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…
This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

“Nisīdanaṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ.
‘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.
This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide.

Taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
If it exceeds that, it is to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā udāyī mahākāyo hoti.
At that time there was a big monk called Venerable Udāyī.

So bhagavato purato nisīdanaṁ paññapetvā samantato samañchamāno nisīdati.
After putting out his sitting mat in front of the Buddha, he stretched it on all sides before sitting down.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca—
The Buddha asked him,

“kissa tvaṁ, udāyi, nisīdanaṁ samantato samañchasi;
“Udāyī, why are you stretching the sitting mat on all sides,

seyyathāpi purāṇāsikoṭṭho”ti?
as if an old hide?”

“Tathā hi pana, bhante, bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ atikhuddakaṁ nisīdanaṁ anuññātan”ti.
“Because, Sir, the sitting mat you’ve allowed for the monks is too small.”

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

“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, nisīdanassa dasaṁ vidatthiṁ.
“Monks, I allow a border of one handspan for the sitting mat.

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

“Nisīdanaṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ.
‘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.
This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide, and a border of one handspan.

Taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
If it exceeds that, it is to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Nisīdanaṁ nāma
A sitting mat:

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

Kārayamānenāti
Is having made:

karonto vā kārāpento vā pamāṇikaṁ kāretabbaṁ.
making it himself or having it made, it should be made the right size.

Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ— dīghaso dve vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ diyaḍḍhaṁ. Dasā vidatthi.
This is the right size: two standard handspans long and one-and-a-half wide, and a border of one handspan.

Taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.
If he makes one, or has one made, that exceeds that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

Paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.
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.
If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession.

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

Aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If he gets one that was made by someone else and then uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Anāpatti—
There is no offense:

pamāṇikaṁ karoti,
if he makes it the right size;

ūnakaṁ karoti,
if he makes it smaller than the right size;

aññena kataṁ pamāṇātikkantaṁ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati,
if he gets one made by another that exceeds the right size and then cuts it down before using 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.

Nisīdanasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.
The training rule on sitting mats, the seventh, is finished.