Bu Pc 8989. Making an oversize sitting mat
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nisīdana
A monk who makes a sitting-cloth that is too large must cut it down and confess the offense.
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Scripture on the Sitting Mat of Excessive Size
Commentary on Bu Pc 89 — Nisīdana
Background
Bu Pc 89 belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, which records the precepts and rules of training for bhikkhus (monks). This section concerns the regulation governing the making of a meditation sitting mat, known in Pāli as nisīdana or paccattharaṇa.
In the time of the Buddha, bhikkhus required essential requisites that were nonetheless utterly simple. The sitting mat was one such necessary item, supporting the practice of meditation and seated mental composure. However, in order to maintain a spirit of humility and to avoid the excessive accumulation of material possessions, the Buddha established restrictions regarding its size. Bu Pc 89 is precisely the detailed rule on this matter, reflecting the principle of balance between having what is sufficient for practice and not falling into material greed.
Main Content
According to this rule, if a bhikkhu makes a sitting mat with his own hands that exceeds the prescribed dimensions, this is considered a transgression of one of the Pātimokkha rules (the common code of discipline). The specified dimensions of the sitting mat are two spans in length (approximately 1.5 metres) and one and a half spans in width (approximately 1 metre), corresponding to the standards of the Buddha's era.
The requirement of this rule is that, if a sitting mat has already been made in excess of the permitted size, the bhikkhu must cut it down to bring it back to the standard dimensions. He must then confess (paṭidesanā) his fault before witnesses of other bhikkhus or before a senior monk, according to the degree of the transgression.
The important point here is that the act of voluntarily cutting it down is not regarded as shameful; rather, it is the means by which the fault is corrected. The confession of wrongdoing (paṭidesanā) is an essential part of the process of rectification, expressing the straightforwardness (uju-kamma) and determination to follow the Dhamma practice of the bhikkhu.
Practical Significance
Bu Pc 89 is not merely a physical regulation concerning dimensions.
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