Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on precious things Ratanavagga

87. The training rule on beds and benches 87. Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Venerable Upananda the Sakyan was sleeping on a high bed. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā upanando sakyaputto ucce mañce sayati. On one occasion, as the Buddha and a number of monks were walking about the dwellings, they came to Upananda’s dwelling. Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ senāsanacārikaṁ āhiṇḍanto yenāyasmato upanandassa sakyaputtassa vihāro tenupasaṅkami. Upananda saw the Buddha coming Addasā kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. and said to him, Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—“Sir, please come and see my bed.” “āgacchatu me, bhante, bhagavā sayanaṁ passatū”ti. The Buddha turned around on the spot and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā tatova paṭinivattitvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“A fool, monks, can be recognized by his sleeping place.” “āsayato, bhikkhave, moghapuriso veditabbo”ti.

After rebuking Upananda in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support … Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘If a monk is having a new bed or bench made, it is to have legs eight standard fingerbreadths long below the lowest frame. If the legs exceed that, they are to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Navaṁ pana bhikkhunā mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā kārayamānena aṭṭhaṅgulapādakaṁ kāretabbaṁ sugataṅgulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyā; taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

New: Navaṁ nāma: newly made is what is meant. karaṇaṁ upādāya vuccati.
A bed: Mañco nāma: there are four kinds of beds: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs. cattāro mañcā— masārako, bundikābaddho, kuḷīrapādako, āhaccapādako.
A bench: Pīṭhaṁ nāma: there are four kinds of benches: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs. cattāri pīṭhāni— masārakaṁ, bundikābaddhaṁ, kuḷīrapādakaṁ, āhaccapādakaṁ.
Is having made: Kārayamānenāti: making it himself or having it made. karonto vā kārāpento vā.
It is to have legs eight standard fingerbreadths long below the lowest frame: Aṭṭhaṅgulapādakaṁ kāretabbaṁ sugataṅgulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyāti: apart from the lowest frame. ṭhapetvā heṭṭhimaṁ aṭaniṁ; If he makes one, or has one made, that exceeds that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets it, the legs are to be cut down, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession. taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ, paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

Permutations

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

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

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

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he makes it the right height; pamāṇikaṁ karoti, if he makes it lower than the right height; ūnakaṁ karoti, if he gets one made by another that exceeds the right height and then cuts the legs down before using it; aññena kataṁ pamāṇātikkantaṁ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The training rule on beds and benches, the fifth, is finished. Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
The subchapter on precious things

87. The training rule on beds and benches

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Venerable Upananda the Sakyan was sleeping on a high bed. On one occasion, as the Buddha and a number of monks were walking about the dwellings, they came to Upananda’s dwelling. Upananda saw the Buddha coming and said to him, “Sir, please come and see my bed.” The Buddha turned around on the spot and addressed the monks: “A fool, monks, can be recognized by his sleeping place.”

After rebuking Upananda in many ways, the Buddha spoke in dispraise of being difficult to support … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

Definitions

New:: newly made is what is meant.
A bed:: there are four kinds of beds: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs.
A bench:: there are four kinds of benches: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs.
Is having made:: making it himself or having it made.
It is to have legs eight standard fingerbreadths long below the lowest frame:: apart from the lowest frame. If he makes one, or has one made, that exceeds that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets it, the legs are to be cut down, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he makes one or has one made for the benefit of someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he gets one that was made by someone else and then uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he makes it the right height; if he makes it lower than the right height; if he gets one made by another that exceeds the right height and then cuts the legs down before using it; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on beds and benches, the fifth, is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Ratanavagga

87. Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā upanando sakyaputto ucce mañce sayati. Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ senāsanacārikaṁ āhiṇḍanto yenāyasmato upanandassa sakyaputtassa vihāro tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—“āgacchatu me, bhante, bhagavā sayanaṁ passatū”ti. Atha kho bhagavā tatova paṭinivattitvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“āsayato, bhikkhave, moghapuriso veditabbo”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dubbharatāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Navaṁ pana bhikkhunā mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā kārayamānena aṭṭhaṅgulapādakaṁ kāretabbaṁ sugataṅgulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyā; taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.

Navaṁ nāma: karaṇaṁ upādāya vuccati.
Mañco nāma: cattāro mañcā— masārako, bundikābaddho, kuḷīrapādako, āhaccapādako.
Pīṭhaṁ nāma: cattāri pīṭhāni— masārakaṁ, bundikābaddhaṁ, kuḷīrapādakaṁ, āhaccapādakaṁ.
Kārayamānenāti: karonto vā kārāpento vā.
Aṭṭhaṅgulapādakaṁ kāretabbaṁ sugataṅgulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyāti: ṭhapetvā heṭṭhimaṁ aṭaniṁ; taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ, paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

Attanā vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Anāpatti—pamāṇikaṁ karoti, ūnakaṁ karoti, aññena kataṁ pamāṇātikkantaṁ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on precious things Ratanavagga

87. The training rule on beds and benches 87. Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpada

Origin story

Final ruling

Definitions

New: Navaṁ nāma: newly made is what is meant. karaṇaṁ upādāya vuccati.
A bed: Mañco nāma: there are four kinds of beds: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs. cattāro mañcā— masārako, bundikābaddho, kuḷīrapādako, āhaccapādako.
A bench: Pīṭhaṁ nāma: there are four kinds of benches: one with legs and frame, called masāraka; one with legs and frame, called bundikābaddha; one with crooked legs; one with detachable legs. cattāri pīṭhāni— masārakaṁ, bundikābaddhaṁ, kuḷīrapādakaṁ, āhaccapādakaṁ.
Is having made: Kārayamānenāti: making it himself or having it made. karonto vā kārāpento vā.
It is to have legs eight standard fingerbreadths long below the lowest frame: Aṭṭhaṅgulapādakaṁ kāretabbaṁ sugataṅgulena, aññatra heṭṭhimāya aṭaniyāti: apart from the lowest frame. ṭhapetvā heṭṭhimaṁ aṭaniṁ; If he makes one, or has one made, that exceeds that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets it, the legs are to be cut down, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession. taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ, paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

Permutations

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

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

Non-offenses

The training rule on beds and benches, the fifth, is finished. Mañcapīṭhasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.