- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on training Sekhiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on shoes Pādukavagga
69. The training rule on low seats 69. Nīcāsanasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the monks from the group of six were sitting on low seats while giving teachings to people sitting on high seats. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desenti.
The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the monks from the group of six sit on low seats while giving teachings to people sitting on high seats?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desethā”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how can you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desessatha. This will affect people’s confidence …” Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… After rebuking them … vigarahitvā …pe… he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
Jataka
“Once upon a time in Bārāṇasī, monks, there was a low-caste man whose wife became pregnant. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, bārāṇasiyaṁ aññatarassa chapakassa pajāpati gabbhinī ahosi. She said to him, Atha kho, bhikkhave, sā chapakī taṁ chapakaṁ etadavoca—‘I’m pregnant. ‘gabbhinīmhi, ayyaputta. I crave mangoes.’ Icchāmi ambaṁ khāditun’ti.
‘But there are no mangoes. It’s the wrong season.’ ‘Natthi ambaṁ, akālo ambassā’ti.
‘If I don’t get any, I’ll die.’ ‘Sace na labhissāmi marissāmī’ti.
At that time the king had a mango tree that was always bearing fruit. Tena kho pana samayena rañño ambo dhuvaphalo hoti. Then that low-caste man went to that mango tree, climbed it, and hid himself. Atha kho, bhikkhave, so chapako yena so ambo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ ambaṁ abhiruhitvā nilīno acchi. Just then the king and his brahmin counselor went to that same mango tree. There the king sat on a high seat while learning the Vedas. Atha kho, bhikkhave, rājā purohitena brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ yena so ambo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ucce āsane nisīditvā mantaṁ pariyāpuṇāti. The low-caste man thought, Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa chapakassa etadahosi—‘How wrong-headed this king is, sitting on a high seat while learning the Vedas. ‘yāva adhammiko ayaṁ rājā, yatra hi nāma ucce āsane nisīditvā mantaṁ pariyāpuṇissati. And the brahmin is wrong-headed too, sitting on a low seat while teaching the Vedas to one sitting on a high seat. Ayañca brāhmaṇo adhammiko, yatra hi nāma nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa mantaṁ vācessati. And I’m wrong-headed too, stealing mangoes from the king because of a woman. Ahañcamhi adhammiko, yohaṁ itthiyā kāraṇā rañño ambaṁ avaharāmi. This is all so low!’ Sabbamidaṁ carimaṁ katan’ti And he fell out of the tree right there. tattheva paripati.
The low-caste man says: ‘Neither understands what is good, ‘Ubho atthaṁ na jānanti, Neither sees the Truth: ubho dhammaṁ na passare; Not he who teaches the Vedas, Yo cāyaṁ mantaṁ vāceti, Nor he who learns improperly.’ yo cādhammenadhīyati’.
The brahmin replies: ‘I’ve eaten the finest rice, ‘Sālīnaṁ odano bhutto, With a curry of pure meat: sucimaṁsūpasecano; Therefore I’m not practicing the Teaching, Tasmā dhamme na vattāmi, The Teaching praised by the Noble Ones.’ dhammo ariyebhi vaṇṇito’.
The low-caste man replies in turn: ‘A curse it is the obtaining of wealth, ‘Dhiratthu taṁ dhanalābhaṁ, And so is becoming popular, brahmin; yasalābhañca brāhmaṇa; These things come with a low rebirth, Yā vutti vinipātena, Or with wrong-headed behavior. adhammacaraṇena vā.
‘Go forth, great brahmin, Paribbaja mahābrahme, Other beings will do the cooking; pacantaññepi pāṇino; Don’t go against the Teaching, Mā tvaṁ adhammo ācarito, Because you’ll break like a jar.’ asmā kumbhamivābhidā’ti.
Even at that time, monks, I was displeased by someone teaching the Vedas while sitting on a low seat to someone sitting on a high seat. How, then, could it not be displeasing now? Tadāpi me, bhikkhave, amanāpā nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa mantaṁ vācetuṁ, kimaṅgaṁ pana etarahi na amanāpā bhavissati nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desetuṁ. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Final ruling
‘“I will not give a teaching while sitting on a low seat to anyone sitting on a high seat who is not sick,” this is how you should train.’” “Na nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṁ desessāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.
One should not give a teaching while sitting on a low seat to anyone sitting on a high seat who is not sick. Na nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammo desetabbo. If a monk, out of disrespect, gives a teaching while sitting on a low seat to someone sitting on a high seat who is not sick, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Yo anādariyaṁ paṭicca nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṁ deseti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if it is unintentional; asañcicca …pe… if he is not mindful; if he does not know; if he is sick; if there is an emergency; if he is insane; if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The ninth training rule is finished. Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.