Lzh Mg Bu Vb Sk 20Clasping Knees

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– EXPLAINING THE BEGINNING SECTION OF THE RULES OF TRAINING FOR THE COMMUNITY:

20. "One must train: one shall not sit clasping the knees in a layperson's house."

Clasping the knees: One may fold the arms or arrange the robe, but one must not clasp the knees while sitting in a house.

When receiving a meal at a monastery or in the presence of preceptors, teachers, or elder bhikkhus, one must not sit clasping the knees. When the knees are painful, one may bind them with cloth; however, upon seeing an elder bhikkhu, one must undo the binding. If one is alone in a private room in a secluded place, one may sit clasping the knees. But when one sees an elder bhikkhu approaching, one must sit up properly. If one is negligent with the sense faculties and sits clasping the knees in a house, this is to show disregard for the rule of training. Except when the mind is deranged, there is no offense. Therefore it is said:

"One must train: one shall not sit clasping the knees in a layperson's house."

Summary verse:

MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

End of the twenty-first fascicle.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Meaning verified by: Thích Đỗng Minh