Lzh Dg Bu Pm 2 Pc 87Sitting Mats

THE SUTTA ON THE SITTING MAT (Nisīdana)

Background

The Nisīdana Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, among the rules concerning the equipment and requisites of the Sangha. In the Buddha’s time, bhikkhus lived according to an ascetic way of practice, avoiding excessive comfort. Yet reasonable requisites were necessary to support practice. This sutta records the Buddha’s guidance concerning the sitting mat (nisīdana), one of the basic requisites of a bhikkhu in household-related activity and practice.

The sutta was taught so that bhikkhus would understand the boundary between using requisites in accordance with the Noble Path and touching upon material pleasure. The sitting mat serves practical purposes: protecting health, creating conditions for meditation, and maintaining dignity in practice.

Main Content

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka tradition, the Buddha prescribed the type of cloth, size, and way of using a sitting mat in accordance with the discipline of bhikkhus. Bhikkhus are permitted to possess a sitting mat for meditation, but are not permitted to use mats with bright colors or overly luxurious materials, because this violates the spirit of ascetic simplicity.

The sutta clearly records permitted materials: cotton cloth, hemp cloth, coconut fiber cloth, or other simple natural materials. The size of the mat must be sufficient, neither too large nor too small, so that a bhikkhu can sit comfortably without forgetting the ascetic quality. The sitting mat is considered part of the “minimum requisites” (pañcaparikkhāra) that a bhikkhu needs.

The Buddha also taught that using a sitting mat is an act of compassion toward the body. It is not indulgence but reasonable care to maintain health for the practice of the Dharma. The sitting mat protects the body from moisture, cold, and harmful effects from the ground, allowing bhikkhus to focus on meditation without being disturbed by physical discomfort.