Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pc 105Sitting Without Permission

THE SUTTA ON SITTING WITHOUT PERMISSION

Explanation of Anāpucchāabhinisīdana

Background

The Anāpucchāabhinisīdana Sutta (Sitting Without Permission) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Pātimokkha, the earliest code of the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha. However, the specific content of this text has not yet been fully translated from the original canon. Still, based on the Pāli title and the general context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, we can understand clearly the principle prescribed by this text.

The Vinaya Piṭaka is a collection of rules of training for monks and nuns. These regulations are not merely behavioral restrictions, but wise guidelines intended to nourish discipline, mutual respect, and the protection of concentration within the practicing community. This text concerns the act of sitting, one of the basic postures in Buddhism, and the important element of asking permission (āpucchā).

Main Content

The title Anāpucchāabhinisīdana may be translated as “sitting down without first asking permission.” It refers to a disciplinary rule concerning courtesy and order in the practicing community. Specifically, during formal occasions such as meetings of the Sangha, the proclamation of the Pātimokkha, or collective study and practice activities, monastics should not sit down arbitrarily but should first ask permission from those responsible for conducting the event.

This rule reflects the principle of Vinaya-dhamma, the Buddha’s discipline, concerning respect for elders (thera), conformity with order (anuloma), and the maintenance of communal discipline. Asking permission is not merely an outward act, but an expression of collected mindfulness, humility, and the recognition that one is part of the whole Sangha.

Practical Meaning

More deeply, this rule teaches that in a practicing community, no one is absolutely independent. Every action of ours affects others, especially in a shared space where all are seeking awakening together.