San Lo Bi Vb Pc 66Sitting Mats

NISĪDANA SUTTA (THE MONK’S SITTING MAT)

Background

The Nisīdana Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha prescribed for the Theravāda Buddhist monastic community. It belongs to the Pācittiya section, the rules concerning offenses requiring confession but not resulting in loss of monastic standing.

The arising of this rule is connected with the development of the monastic community in the time of the Buddha. As the Sangha expanded, followers from many social classes joined, bringing different habits with them. The use of a sitting mat or cushion (nisīdana) became a matter requiring regulation, not only to maintain discipline but also to establish reasonable habits of practice.

The sitting mat was not merely an ordinary sitting surface, but an important implement of practice in Theravāda Buddhist custom. A monk would often carry his mat with him to sit in meditation, seeking a quiet place to observe the mind.

Main Content

The rule concerning the sitting mat mainly relates to improper conduct in the use of personal articles. Specifically, a monk is not permitted to bind, share, or give his mat to another in ways that do not accord with the Vinaya. Actions such as using the mat as evidence of separate private ownership, or keeping extra mats for too long without permission from the Sangha, are prohibited.

Furthermore, the mat may not be painted, decorated, or refined in a splendid or ostentatious manner. A monk should keep his mat in a simple and modest condition, suited to the benefit of practice, not for making a personal mark or displaying oneself.

The rule also touches on the matter of ownership. According to the Vinaya, articles such as sitting mats should be properly managed. If a monk has an extra mat, he must report it to the Sangha at an appropriate uposatha gathering or hand it over to the community. The purpose is to prevent hoarding and attachment to material possessions.