Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Pj 5Above the Knees
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ubbhajāṇumaṇḍalikā
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Commentary on the Ubbhajāṇumaṇḍalikā Sutta (Above the Knee-Cap)
Background
The Ubbhajāṇumaṇḍalikā Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Pāli Theravāda Canon, which is the collection of rules governing the conduct of the Sangha. This text is not a Dhamma discourse in the manner of suttas found in the Sutta Piṭaka or Abhidhamma Piṭaka, but rather a specific regulation concerning bodily comportment within the monastic community.
The title "Above the Knee-Cap" (Ubbhajāṇumaṇḍalikā) refers to a rule relating to that part of the body situated above the knee-cap. This is a matter of meticulous detail, reflecting the spirit of the Vinaya Piṭaka — which leaves no aspect of the monastic way of life unaddressed, so as to prevent situations that might cause harm to right conduct or bring difficulty upon the Sangha.
The historical context for this regulation arose from specific situations occurring among bhikkhus or bhikkhunis, whereupon the Blessed One or the elders of the Sangha established rules to protect the purity and discipline of the Noble Assembly.
Principal Content
This regulation concerns actions or bodily postures involving the part of the body above the knee-cap in specific circumstances — whether in the course of prostration, sleep, or interaction with objects used in monastic practice.
In accordance with the general principles of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, regulations pertaining to the body are intended to ensure that those who have gone forth maintain an attitude of dignity and reverence toward the Dhamma, and create no occasion whatsoever for censure from without or for inner laxity.
Specifically, the portion "above the knee-cap" (from the knee-cap upward) is typically governed by rule so as to prevent undignified postures or actions that might give rise to misunderstanding regarding the nature of monastic practice. This may apply to the manner of sitting in meditation, the manner of standing during a Dhamma talk, or the manner of handling objects in public circumstances.
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