Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Pc 18The Upper Story of a Hut
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vehāsakuṭi
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Vehāsakuṭi Sutta - The Upper Dwelling
Background
The Vehāsakuṭi Sutta (The Upper Dwelling) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Tipiṭaka in the Theravāda tradition. It is part of the regulations concerning the construction of dwellings for bhikkhus, established by Śākyamuni Buddha to guide the Sangha in living harmoniously and observing the discipline.
The situation arose when disciples of the Buddha sought to repair temporary dwellings or build new places of residence. In this process, the issue of building upper stories (vehāsa) of dwellings became controversial. Some bhikkhus built upper stories too high or too broad, creating inconvenience for practice and common life. From this, the Buddha declared specific regulations to manage the matter, ensuring suitability, frugality, and the avoidance of wasting resources.
Main Content
This text clearly prescribes standards for building upper stories of residences within monasteries. These rules include: the length, width, and height of the upper story must remain within reasonable limits; construction must not be extravagant or exceed actual need; the materials used should be durable but not luxurious.
The Buddha especially emphasized that the purpose of building a dwelling is to shelter one from harsh weather, protect health, and create conditions for concentration in practice, not to glorify oneself or display wealth. Therefore, any excess beyond proper limits is considered a violation of the humble life and the discipline of the Sangha.
The specific regulations are recorded in detail, from the dimensions of parts to the handling of public property. This reflects the careful and rigorous nature of the Vinaya Piṭaka, a core part of the Buddhist canon, guiding sleeping, eating, labor, and every aspect of monastic life.
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