Lzh Mu Bu Pm Sk 26Not Sit Proudly
Pāli / Sanskrit:Not sit proudly
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Not Sit Proudly Sutta
Context
This sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the collection of rules of practice and governance for the Sangha established by the Buddha. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a set of mechanical prohibitions, but an expression of the Buddha’s teaching of mind, intended to protect the common welfare of the Sangha and help each bhikkhu practice according to the Middle Way.
The place of this rule, recorded in ancient texts of the Pāli Canon, reflects specific situations that occurred in the early Sangha. The Buddha’s disciples sometimes became entangled in actions unsuitable to the spirit of the path, and he taught them to correct their actions, speech, and thoughts.
Main Content
The Not Sit Proudly Sutta concerns a basic spiritual issue: arrogance and self-importance. In monastic communities, outwardly showing pride, seeking respect, or deliberately occupying a privileged position are expressions of greed (lobha) and conceit (māna), two of the three poisons, unwholesome mental states according to the teaching of the Buddha-Dharma.
Specifically, the sutta warns bhikkhus not to sit in a way that displays self-importance or a desire to flaunt status. Choosing the highest seat, sitting near the central place of the Dharma assembly, or displaying an air of pride are subtle expressions of conceit. This is a fault in Dhamma, not merely a breach of social etiquette.
This rule teaches that a bhikkhu should remember: you have gone forth to abandon sensual passions, not to seek fame or high status. Sitting in a foremost place, or in the third or fourth rank, is a means of practicing humility and cultivating the quality of not being self-important.
Practical Meaning
This sutta opens a very subtle field of Buddhist practice: observing the hidden motives of the mind. Not all proud actions are obvious.
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