Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 69Beds and Benches
Pāli / Sanskrit:Mañcapīṭha
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DISCOURSE ON BEDS AND BENCHES (Mañcapīṭha)
Background
The Mañcapīṭha discourse (Beds and Benches) is a rule belonging to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Vinaya collection of Early Buddhism. This rule is recorded in the Pātimokkha, the collection of rules that monastics must observe. In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya is the ethical foundation that helps the monastic community maintain discipline and fully cultivate the path.
The appearance of this rule reflects the historical context when Buddhism was still young. At first, monastics lived simply and possessed few material things. Later, however, some monastics began to accumulate comfortable items such as beds and padded seats, causing the process of practice gradually to depart from the spirit of austerity. For this reason, the Buddha established rules concerning the use of furnishings in order to maintain discipline and the proper method of practice.
Main Content
The Mañcapīṭha discourse regulates the use of beds (mañca) and benches (pīṭha) by monastics. According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, monastics are permitted to use beds and benches necessary for the life of practice, but they must observe certain restrictions concerning size, material, and degree of comfort.
Specifically, the related rules include the following: beds and benches must not be too high or too wide, must not have cushions that are too thick, and must not use luxurious materials. These items must serve the purpose of practice, providing a suitable place for rest and sleep, not satisfying excessive comfort or thoughts of possessing property.
The rule also emphasizes that if a monastic uses a bed or bench beyond these regulations, they commit a pācittiya offense, a type of violation requiring repentance and confession before the Sangha community. This is not a pārājika offense leading to expulsion from the monastic order, but it still must be handled according to Vinaya procedure in order to maintain the purity of the precepts.
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