Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Pācittiya 87: Not to make, cause to be made or use beds or chairs of a height greater than 65 centimetres.
- Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.
… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, was lying down on a high couch. Then the lord, as he was touring the lodgings together with several monks, came up to the dwelling-place of the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans. The venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, saw the lord coming from afar, and seeing him, he spoke thus to the lord: "Lord, let the lord come, let him lie down on my bed."
Then the lord, having turned back from there, addressed the monks, saying: "Monks, the foolish man should be spoken to about his abode."
Then the lord, having in many a figure rebuked the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, for his difficulty in maintaining himself … " … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:
"When a new couch or chair is being made for a monk, the legs should be made eight finger-breadths (high) according to the accepted finger-breadth, except for the knotched ends below. In exceeding this (measure), there is an offence of expiation involving cutting down."
New means: it is so called with reference to the making.
Couch means: there are four (kinds of) couch: a long one, one with slats, one with curved legs, one with removable legs.
Chairmeans: there are four (kinds of) chair: a long one, one with slats, one with curved legs, one with removable legs.
Is being made means: making or causing to be made.
The legs should be made eight finger-breadths (high) according to the accepted finger-breadth, except for the knotched ends below means: setting aside the knotched ends below. If he makes it or causes it to be made exceeding this (measure), in the business there is an offence of wrong-doing; having cut it down on acquisition, an offence of expiation is to be confessed.
If what was incompletely executed by himself he has finished by himself … see Pācittiya 86.2.1"> … If he makes others finish what was incompletely executed by others, there is an offence of expiation. If he makes it or causes it to be made for another, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If, having acquired what was made for another, he makes use of it, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if he makes it to the (proper) measure; if he makes it less than the (proper) measure; if, having acquired what was made for another, (but) exceeding the (proper) measure, having cut it down, he makes use of it; if he is mad, if he is the first wrongdoer.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena āyasmā upanando sakyaputto ucce mañce sayati. atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṃ senāsanacārikaṃ āhiṇḍanto yenāyasmato upanandassa sakyaputtassa vihāro tenupasankami. addasā kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto bhagavantaṃ dūratova āgacchantaṃ. disvāna bhagavantaṃ etadavoca— "āgacchatu me, bhante, bhagavā sayanaṃ passatū"ti. atha kho bhagavā tatova paṭinivattitvā bhikkhū āmantesi— "āsayato, bhikkhave, moghapuriso veditabbo"ti. atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ upanandaṃ sakyaputtaṃ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha—
2 "navaṃ pana bhikkhunā mañcaṃ vā pīṭhaṃ vā kārayamānena aṭṭhangulapādakaṃ kāretabbaṃ sugatangulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyā; taṃ atikkāmayato chedanakaṃ pācittiyan"ti. (87:136)
3 navaṃ nāma karaṇaṃ upādāya vuccati.
4 mañco nāma cattāro mañcā— masārako, bundikābaddho, kuḷīrapādako, āhaccapādako.
5 pīṭhaṃ nāma cattāri pīṭhāni— masārakaṃ, bundikābaddhaṃ, kuḷīrapādakaṃ, āhaccapādakaṃ.
6 kārayamānenāti karonto vā kārāpento vā.
7 aṭṭhangulapādakaṃ kāretabbaṃ sugatangulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyāti ṭhapetvā heṭṭhimaṃ aṭaniṃ; taṃ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṃ, paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṃ desetabbaṃ.
8 attanā vippakataṃ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. attanā vippakataṃ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. parehi vippakataṃ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. parehi vippakataṃ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
9 aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. aññena kataṃ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
10 anāpatti— pamāṇikaṃ karoti, ūnakaṃ karoti, aññena kataṃ pamāṇātikkantaṃ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.