Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 115Using High Couches

THE RULE ON USING HIGH SEATS (Āsandiparibhuñjana)

Background

This rule belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pātimokkha, the basic code that bhikkhus must cultivate. The content concerns the regulation on using high seats, a matter that seems small but contains profound meaning in Buddhist practice.

In the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni, high seats (āsandika) were considered relatively luxurious objects, reserved for people of status. When bhikkhus, those who had gone forth and cut themselves off from the world, still tended to use such objects, this reflected that they had not completely abandoned tendencies toward pride, conceit, and craving for sensual desire (kāma tanha). For this reason, the Blessed Buddha issued a rule prohibiting or restricting the use of high seats within the Sangha community.

Main Content

According to the Theravāda Vinaya tradition, the Blessed Buddha laid down a rule forbidding bhikkhus from using seats that exceeded a certain standard of height. Specifically, a seat permitted for use must not be higher than one cubit if it has legs, or must not exceed a certain measure if it is of another form.

This regulation is not because of fear that a high seat will cause injury, but because it symbolizes worldly desires that a bhikkhu should abandon. When sitting on a high seat, the practitioner may feel superior and different from others, something entirely contrary to the spirit of the Buddha Dharma concerning equality and humility. In addition, a high seat also recalls worldly habits of enjoyment, when the wealthy often use luxurious objects to elevate their status.

The rule on seats is therefore part of the Dhamma Vinaya, the teaching and discipline that train the mind, helping bhikkhus gradually cleanse away the residues of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha).