Dwellings

• Sg 6, Too large hut without sponsor or approval
• Sg 7, Large hut without approval
• Pc 14, Leaving bed or bench
• Pc 15, Spread bedding
• Pc 16, Intruding on bhikkhu's sleeping place
• Pc 17, Causing a bhikkhu to be evicted
• Pc 18, Bed on an unplanked loft
• Pc 19, Supervising the building work
• Pc 87, Tall bed or bench
• Pc 88, Cotton stuffing

Sg 6, Too large hut without sponsor or approval

Origin: Some bhikkhus, not having a sponsor, keep harassing the lay people with requests about building materials for their own huts, and the people begin to avoid them.

Dwellings are garubhaṇḍa articles. In general, they may belong to either the community or to an individual bhikkhu. When given to the community, the ownership of the dwelling may not be transferred to a bhikkhu.

For a community, whose members may change over time, it is better when the dwelling belongs to the community, even if an individual bhikkhu has built it himself. The dwellings can be assigned as needed, and the community can oversee the proper handling of building projects.

A hut: Here, a more permanent structure (such as one with plastered walls and roof). This rule doesn't apply to makeshift huts with grass roofs.

Assuming the sugata span to be 25cm, the maximum size of the hut is about 3m long on the outside of the wall, and 1.75m wide on the inside of wall. This relates to the living area, not including an outside porch for example. The description leaves the thickness of the wall unspecified, but Pc 19 limits the layers of plastering to three.

If a bhikkhu is planning to build such a hut by procuring the materials for it, he must (1) choose a site and arrange it to be cleared (not breaking Pc 10 and Pc 11), (2) ask the community to inspect and approve the site.

The site must be:

• free of disturbances (termites, rats, elephants, bears, etc.)
• not near busy locations (crop fields, theme parks, horse stables, etc.)
• enough free land around the hut for a man carrying a ladder to walk around it

The trees don't have to be cut down, but this prevents the hut to be build right against someone else's property.

A bhikkhu may ask for people to give him help, either through labor or materials, but careful arrangements should be made. The people should be reimbursed if they didn't donate the effort or materials.

The bhikkhu may not ask for expensive materials directly, but may indicate what his project is, and if people offer the materials, he may accept it.

It is not an offense to build a hut for another's use.

The offense is incurred either if (1) the hut exceeds the size, or (2) if he didn't obtain the approval of the community for the site.

Sg 7, Large hut without approval

Same terms as in Sg 6, but the bhikkhu in this case has a dedicated sponsor who provides the building materials.

Pc 14, Leaving bed or bench

When a bhikkhu takes community furniture or tools out to the open (either for doing work or for cleaning), he should put them away before departing for another business, or have someone put them away to a covered place where they will not be damaged by rain, or animals. Dogs might carry them off or birds might leave droppings on them.

The purpose of the rule is to train the bhikkhus' sense of responsibility for community items.

Departing is defined as going farther than ~18 meters from them, described as one leḍḍupāta, 'a stone's throw'.

Leaving tools outside are a dukkaṭa as a derived offense.

The rule doesn't apply to outdoors furniture such as weather-proof benches.

Non-offenses

• leaving them out to dry, while deciding to come back and put them away
• when there are 'constraints' on them such as tigers lying down on them
• if there are physical dangers, or dangers to one's celibate life

Pc 15, Spread bedding

When a bhikkhu has taken bedding items from the stores for use, such as when settling in a room after arriving, he is responsible for cleaning and putting them back before departing.

The purpose of the rule is to prevent bedding left in an empty hut, where mould, ants, etc. might damage them.

One should tidy up one's room or hut before leaving a monastery, in a way that it is ready for another bhikkhu to use.

There is no offense if someone else (such as the guest monk) has already set out the bedding without one having asked for them. In that case, the guest monks is responsible for putting the items back.

Pc 16, Intruding on bhikkhu's sleeping place

A bhikkhu shouldn't knowingly intrude on another bhikkhu's dwelling space, with the intention to forcing him out.

To intrude is defined as lying or sitting down within 75cm of his sleeping place, or on the way to the entrance.

There is no offense in intruding for a compelling reason, such as suffering from the cold or heat, being sick, or begin in danger. One should leave after the reason to intrude has passed.

Pc 17, Causing a bhikkhu to be evicted

Origin: some group-of-six bhikkhus were fixing up a dwelling where they wanted to spend the Vassa. Some group-of-seventeen bhikkhus waited for them to fix it up, then drove them out, forcibly taking over the dwelling.

The offense relates to acting out of anger as a primary impulse. Frustrated greed also produces anger (not getting the hut one wished for).

There is no offense if one's primary motivation is not anger. For example, the guest monk might have to evict a bhikkhu who is holding onto a dwelling after being told to leave. There may be anger, but it is not the primary impulse.

A bhikkhu may evict one's student if he is not properly observing his duties.

Pc 18, Bed on an unplanked loft

A dwelling might have an unplanked loft area for storing the bed or other items.

One should not use a bed which has detachable legs in the loft. The legs might fall off and hurt someone living in the area below.

Pc 19, Supervising the building work

Origin: Ven. Channa is unsatisfied with the plastering being done on the roof and walls of his hut. He keeps instructing the builders to put on more layers, until the hut caves in.

The purpose of the rule is to prevent abusing the generosity of the sponsors and ruining a building project with insatiable requirements. It relates to Sg 7, when one's hut is sponsored, and one should oversee that the work is done properly.

Pc 87, Tall bed or bench

When making a new bed or bench or having it made, its legs should be at most eight finger-breadths long, from the lower edge of the frame to the floor. The long legs should be cut back to size.

The purpose is to prevent making imposing furnishings.

When visiting a lay-person whose house is furnished with elaborately decorated chairs or beds, a bhikkhu may sit on them without an offense, but lying down on them is a dukkaṭa. (Cv.VI.8)

Pc 88, Cotton stuffing

If a bhikkhu orders a bed or bench upholstered with cotton down, the upholstery should be torn off.

Cotton down used to be a luxury material. It is allowed for certain items, such as pillows, which should be no larger than the size of the head.

The purpose is to avoid ostentatious, grand and luxurious materials for furnishings which are not in line with the restrained life style of a mendicant monastic.