Bi Sk 6464. Lying down
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sayana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on Lying Down (Sayana)
Background
The Sutta on Lying Down belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a core section of the Pāli Canon of the Theravāda tradition. The rules contained in the Vinaya Piṭaka arose from specific situations that the Buddha encountered within the monastic community. This text records a rule concerning the physical conduct of bhikkhus, particularly the discipline relating to the posture of lying down — an important aspect of the training in discipline within the Theravāda tradition.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of penal rules, but a comprehensive system of education aimed at training the mind, protecting the harmony of the community, and creating conditions conducive to diligent practice. Each rule reflects the Buddha's profound understanding of the nature of greed, aversion, and delusion, and the ways in which these manifest through the body.
Main Content
Although the specific content of this text has not yet been fully rendered in translation, from the original title "Sayana" (lying down), we may understand that this text sets forth standards for how a bhikkhu should lie down in the course of training. This is not a trivial matter, but reflects a profound principle within the Buddha-Dharma.
In the Theravāda tradition, regulations concerning bodily postures — such as sitting, standing, and lying down — are regarded as instruments for developing mindfulness (sati) and right understanding (sammā-diṭṭhi). One does not lie down at any time whatsoever, nor in any manner whatsoever. Rather, the Buddha's teachings encourage postures that support wakefulness and do not arouse unwholesome mental factors. An ideal bhikkhu should sleep in a proper manner — neither indolent nor given to sensual indulgence — and should be ready to arise when necessary in order to continue the practice.
This rule also has a connection with the concept of "desire" in Buddhism. Sensual desire (kāma) refers not only to sexual craving, but also encompasses excessive comfort and laziness. The regulation of how one lies down is part of the restraint that a bhikkhu must cultivate daily.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.