Mpt Pc 87Sitting Mats
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nisīdana
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THE DISCOURSE ON THE SITTING MAT: NISĪDANA
Background
The Nisīdana Discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, belonging to the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This section gives detailed regulations concerning the everyday requisites of bhikkhus in the monastic community. The sitting mat (nisīdana) is a mat or cloth used for sitting during practice, meditation, or daily life in the monastery.
The setting of the event is the presence of the Buddha and his disciples at various monasteries. At that time, the Sangha community was completing its rules for daily life. Matters concerning monastic possessions were not merely questions of material convenience, but also training in moderation, non-greed, and carefulness in using collective property. The Nisīdana Discourse reflects the purpose of the Buddha’s teaching: to guide monastics to live simply and not depend on material things, thereby freeing the mind.
Main Content
The Nisīdana Discourse regulates the size, material, and use of sitting mats in the Sangha community. According to the Vinaya Pitaka, a sitting mat should not be too large, too thick, or too refined in design, for this may stir up comparison and envy among bhikkhus. The rule was established to prevent tendencies of preference that could lead to trouble and the loss of the Dharma in the mind (dhamma).
Specific regulations include the following: bhikkhus should use only appropriate sitting mats, harmonized with one another, or distributed according to the principle of fairness. If a bhikkhu possesses a sitting mat that does not conform to the rule, the elder teacher or monastery manager has the responsibility to guide its repair or replacement. Violations connected with caring for the sitting mat, such as leaving it dirty, damp, or damaged, are considered a lack of carefulness and discipline.
This rule also reflects the principle of “communality” (koinonia) in the Sangha community. Each article is communal property, used to support the work of practice and teaching the Dharma.
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