འདལ་བ་གཞ 2.5

2.5

“You should surround the place with walls or a ditch.”

So they surrounded the place with walls or ditches, but those who lacked faith taunted those noble ones: “What is this? A garden for lemons and pomegranates?” to which they replied, “We are practicing yoga.”

The monks then appealed to the Blessed One and the Blessed One replied, “I give consent to build a meditation residence.”

Given consent by the Blessed One to build a meditation residence, but not knowing what a meditation residence ought to be like, the monks appealed to the Blessed One and the Blessed One replied, “There are two types of meditation residence: those in small clusters and those in large clusters. The smaller has two dwellings with a passageway in the middle while the larger has ten or twelve dwellings with a passageway in the middle.”⁹⁷

When the monks built meditation residences, they built them like storerooms,⁹⁸ that is, without a doorway, so the Blessed One said, “A doorway should be cut out.”

When the monks failed to install doors, the Blessed One said, “Doors should be installed.”

When the doors proved difficult to open, the Blessed One said, “Handles should be affixed to them.”

When the rings of the door handles were found to make noise, the Blessed One said, “A piece of leather should be placed under them.”

When the doors proved difficult to close, the Blessed One said, “A cross bolt, lever, or bar should be installed.”⁹⁹

When the meditation residences proved dark, the Blessed One said, “A window should be cut out.”

When the windows were cut out too low, bandits, rogues, lions, tigers, and leopards¹⁰⁰ got in, so the Blessed One said, “They should not be cut out too low.”

When the windows were cut out too high, the light was not bright enough,