4: The Book of the Fours
246. Lying Down
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, there are these four postures for lying down. What four? The corpse's posture, the sensualist's posture, the lion's posture, and the Tathāgata's posture.
(1) "And what is the corpse's posture? Corpses usually lie flat on their backs. This is called the corpse's posture.
2(2) "And what is the sensualist's posture? The sensualist usually lies on his left side. This is called the sensualist's posture.
3(3) "And what is the lion's posture? The lion, the king of beasts, lies down on his right side, having covered one foot with the other and tucked his tail in between his thighs. When he awakens, he raises his front quarters and looks back at his hind quarters. If the lion sees any disorderliness or distension of his body, he is displeased. If he does not see any disorderliness or distension of his body, he is pleased. This is called the lion's posture.
4(4) "And what is the Tathāgata's posture? Here, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, the Tathāgata enters and dwells in the first jhāna … the fourth jhāna. This is called the Tathāgata's posture.
"These are the four postures."
1"Catasso imā, bhikkhave, seyyā. Katamā catasso? Petaseyyā, kāmabhogiseyyā, sīhaseyyā, tathāgataseyyā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, petaseyyā? Yebhuyyena, bhikkhave, petā uttānā senti; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, petaseyyā.
2Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kāmabhogiseyyā? Yebhuyyena, bhikkhave, kāmabhogī vāmena passena senti; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kāmabhogiseyyā.
3Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sīhaseyyā? Sīho, bhikkhave, migarājā dakkhiṇena passena seyyaṁ kappeti, pāde pādaṁ accādhāya, antarasatthimhi naṅguṭṭhaṁ anupakkhipitvā. So paṭibujjhitvā purimaṁ kāyaṁ abbhunnāmetvā pacchimaṁ kāyaṁ anuviloketi. Sace, bhikkhave, sīho migarājā kiñci passati kāyassa vikkhittaṁ vā visaṭaṁ vā, tena, bhikkhave, sīho migarājā anattamano hoti. Sace pana, bhikkhave, sīho migarājā na kiñci passati kāyassa vikkhittaṁ vā visaṭaṁ vā, tena, bhikkhave, sīho migarājā attamano hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sīhaseyyā.
4Katamā ca, bhikkhave, tathāgataseyyā? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato vivicceva kāmehi … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, tathāgataseyyā.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso seyyā"ti.
Catutthaṁ.
