San Bu Pm Qizil Np 15A Sitting-Blanket

NISIDANASANTHATA TEXT

On the Sitting Mat

Background

The Nisidanasanthata text is found in the Vinaya Pitaka of the early Buddhist tradition, the long-preserved Pali section. In the early period of the Sangha, when the Buddha was still alive, the community of bhikkhunis and bhikkhus needed clear rules of life in order to maintain discipline and harmony within the group.

This text arose from a specific incident: monks or nuns acted inappropriately regarding the sitting mat (nisidana), an essential article providing monastics with a place to sit for meditation and recitation. This matter, though small in outward form, contains profound principles concerning a humble life, adaptability, and respect for common property.

Main Content

According to the Vinaya tradition, the sitting mat (nisidana) is not an ornament or display. It is regarded as a primary article enabling monastics to sit for meditation, recitation, and hearing the Dharma. The Nisidanasanthata text concerns rules for using, preserving, and sharing these mats within the community.

The basic principle established is that a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni should not appropriate too many sitting mats or use them carelessly and irresponsibly. If a monastic no longer uses one, it should be returned to the monastery or community so that others may use it. Mats should not be left scattered, allowed to decay, or lost through negligence.

This reflects a broader principle in the Vinaya Pitaka: all property of the monastic community is common property, and each individual is only a temporary steward. There is no "ownership" in the ordinary sense; there is only the "right of use for the purpose of study and practice."

Practical Meaning

The Nisidanasanthata text teaches us humility and responsibility. Even ordinary articles, such as a sitting mat, require careful attention.