Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 18The Upper Story of a Hut

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA OFFENSES

– EXPLAINING the fourth section of the NINETY-TWO SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

18. RULE: SITTING ON A BED WITH POINTED LEGS.

When the Buddha was residing at the Wilderness Monastery, at that time two bhikkhus were also living there — the senior monk dwelt on the ground floor, and the junior monk above on the upper story. The senior monk practiced sitting meditation, while the junior monk recited sutras. When the time for alms-round arrived, the senior monk put on his robe, took his bowl, and went into the Wilderness village to collect alms; having quickly obtained sufficient food, he returned, and only then did the junior monk depart.

The senior monk finished eating, washed his bowl and put it back in its place, then washed his feet and sat in the cross-legged posture. The junior monk had gone out on his alms-round but received food only slowly and thus returned late. He climbed up to the upper story, set his bowl in its place, and cried out, "I am so tired!" — then dropped down heavily onto his seat, whereupon a leg of the bed suddenly broke loose and fell, striking the head of the senior monk below and wounding him so that blood flowed.

The senior monk immediately cried out, "I am done for! I am done for!" The other bhikkhus heard his cries and rushed over to ask what had happened; the senior monk then related the entire incident as described above. The bhikkhus thereupon brought the matter to the Blessed One.

The Buddha instructed them to go and summon that bhikkhu. When the monk had come, the Buddha asked him: "Is this matter true?"

— "It is true, Blessed One." — "Why did you place a bed with pointed legs on the upper story and then sit down heavily upon it? From this time forward, I do not permit placing a bed with pointed legs on an upper story and sitting upon it."

Thereupon the Buddha issued an instruction for all the bhikkhus living in the Wilderness village to assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits he laid down a rule for the bhikkhus — which, even for those who had already heard it, must be heard again:

"If a bhikkhu places a bed with pointed legs on an upper story or on a raised floor, and then sits or lies upon it, he commits a Pācittiya offense."

Explanation

Upper story: The second level.

Raised floor: As the Blessed One has already permitted.

Pointed legs: Like a stake or peg.

Bed: Comprises fourteen types, as previously described.

If one sits or lies (on a bed with pointed legs), one commits a Pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As described above.

If firm clay is used to make a solid base underneath, or if wood is laid fully covering the area below, or if the bed's legs are rounded, or if there is no one sitting in the area around and beneath the upper story — in all these cases there is no offense. If one carves and fashions pointed bed legs and uses them for sitting or lying, one commits a Pācittiya offense. If one sits on a thin plank, one commits a Dukkhaṭa offense. If one sits on a long bench, one commits a Dukkhaṭa offense (?). If one makes a bed with one pointed leg and three rounded legs, or two pointed legs and three legs, or four pointed legs, all constitute a Pācittiya offense. But if one makes a bed with four rounded legs, there is no offense. Therefore it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH