Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Sekhiya 21: Not to place the hands on the hips when sitting in inhabited areas.
- Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.
… in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks, their arms akimbo, went amidst the houses … " …
‘Not with arms akimbo will I go amidst the houses,’ is a training to be observed."
One should not go amidst the houses with the arms akimbo. Whoever out of disrespect, having placed the arms akimbo on one side or on both, goes amidst the houses, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if it is unintentional, if he is not thinking, if he does not know, if he is ill, if he has gone into residence for the rains, if there are accidents, if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū khambhakatā antaraghare gacchanti … pe … .
2 "na khambhakato antaraghare gamissāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā"ti. (21:166)
3 na khambhakatena antaraghare gantabbaṃ. yo anādariyaṃ paṭicca ekato vā ubhato vā khambhaṃ katvā antaraghare gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.