Bu Pc 1818. Sitting down on an upper story
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vehāsakuṭi
A monk who uses a bed with unfastened legs on an unplanked upper storey of a hut belonging to the Order must confess the offense.
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Kinh Vehāsakuṭi — The Offense of Using an Upper-Story Bed
Background
This rule appears in the Pātimokkha (the code of monastic discipline) of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically within the section on Pācittiya offenses (offenses of expiation requiring confession). It relates directly to the management of communal Saṅgha property and the protection of monastic architectural structures.
Vehāsakuṭi refers to rooms built on the upper stories of monastic residential buildings. These were commonly used by senior teachers or served special purposes. What is prohibited in this rule is not the act of residing on an upper floor, but rather the use of beds with unfixed legs in rooms built without a planked floor (an unplanked storey).
An important characteristic here is that the floor consists of compacted earth or other soft material, with no firm wooden flooring. When a bed with unfixed legs is placed upon such a soft surface, the legs can easily sink down, causing damage to the monastic infrastructure and causing inconvenience to fellow monastics.
Main Content
The rule states clearly: "A bhikkhu who uses a bed with unfixed legs on an unplanked upper story of a monastic residential building belonging to the Saṅgha must confess an offense of Pācittiya."
A Pācittiya offense is not the most serious category of offense, but it still requires confession before another bhikkhu in order to be purified. Pācittiya offenses are regarded as minor transgressions — not greatly harmful in themselves, yet violating principles concerning mindfulness, frugality, and the protection of communal property.
The practical rationale behind this rule of discipline is straightforward: in the context of monastic life and practice, the protection of Saṅgha structures is the responsibility of every bhikkhu. Using a bed with unfixed legs on a soft floor can damage the flooring, create holes or cause the structure to shift and settle, leading to significant repair costs and affecting other members of the community.
This prohibition also reflects the spirit of Theravāda Buddhism: every action of a bhikkhu, however small, is examined from the perspective of whether it causes harm or does not cause harm, and whether it undermines the peace and stability of the Saṅgha.
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