Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Sekhiya 65: Not to teach the dhamma to someone who is sitting with their arms around their knees unless they are ill.
- Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.
… in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks taught dhamma to (someone) who was sitting down, lolling … " …
‘I will not teach dhamma to (someone) who is sitting down, lolling (and) who is not ill,’ is a training to be observed."
Dhamma should not be taught to (someone) sitting down, lolling, (and) who is not ill. Whoever out of disrespect teaches dhamma to (someone) who is sitting down, lolling on his hands or lolling on his robes (and) who is not ill, there is an offence of wrong-doing.
There is no offence if it is unintentional … if he is the first wrong-doer.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū pallatthikāya nisinnassa dhammaṃ desenti … pe … .
2 "na pallatthikāya nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṃ desessāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā"ti. (65:210)
3 na pallatthikāya nisinnassa agilānassa dhammo desetabbo. yo anādariyaṃ paṭicca hatthapallatthikāya vā dussapallatthikāya vā nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṃ deseti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.