Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 164Using High Couches

Discourse on Using High Couches

Background

The rule concerning the use of high couches (āsandiparibhuñjana) is recorded in the Pācittiya section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, reflecting one of the basic disciplinary regulations of the early Buddhist Sangha. This discourse arises from the historical context in which the Buddha established the Sangha and needed to set up principles of communal living in order to maintain purity and discipline.

According to the early tradition, bhikkhus are not permitted to use beds or chairs higher than the prescribed measure. This rule does not arise from one isolated story, but is part of a broader system of restraint in the material life of those gone forth. It is directly related to the practice of humility (sīla) and renunciation of unnecessary comforts.

Main Content

According to the Pācittiya rule, actions leading to confession, if a bhikkhu uses a bed or chair higher than the permitted standard, this is an offense requiring acknowledgment and confession (pāpessati).

Specifically, high beds are defined as those whose legs exceed a certain length. This standard is set not because the physical nature of a high bed is bad, but because it may lead to conceit (māna) and the loss of the simplicity toward which renunciants should incline. Simplicity in material needs is the sign of a mind no longer bound by worldly desires.

This rule applies to all bhikkhus, without distinction of status or length of practice. It establishes a fair standard for the monastic community, where equality in material lifestyle is a basic principle. When a bhikkhu uses an object beyond the standard, this can create distinctions within the Sangha and obstruct the shared spirit of practice.

Practical Meaning

The Discourse on Using High Couches is not merely an administrative rule, but a concrete expression of the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariyo Atthangikamagga).