Miscellaneous Topics – 2329
legged as in: He sits down, after folding his legs crosswise (
nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ
ābhujitvā
), of the Long Discourse about Steadfast Mindfulness (
Mahā-sati-
paṭṭhāna-sutta
, DN 22), etc.
By a kind of seat (
āsana-pallaṅka
) is meant a type of seat. A kind of seat is of
different sub-divisions, such as a rich man’s seat (
seṭṭhi-pallaṅka
), a king’s seat
(
rāja-pallaṅka
), a Nāga’s
seat (
Nāga-pallaṅka
), a Deva’s seat (
Deva-pallaṅka
), a
Dhamma seat (
Dhamma-pallaṅka
), an Awakening seat (
Bodhi-pallaṅka
), etc.
In the commentary on The Birth Story about the Mayhaka Bird (
Mayhaka-
jātaka
, Ja 390) it is said:
Gaccha, imaṁ amhākaṁ gharaṁ ānetvā, mama pallaṅke
nisīdāpetvā, amhākaṁ paṭiyatta-bhattassa pattaṁ pūretvā dāpehi.
Go and take this Paccekabuddha to my house; let him sit down on my seat
and fill his bowl with the food prepared for me.
Such a seat of the wealthy man of Bārānasi represents a seat used by well-to-do
persons (
seṭṭhi-pallaṅka
).
[211]
Such royal thrones as:
1. A lion seat (
sīhāsana-pallaṅka
) is a throne made of beechwood with
lion figures at the base and is placed in the main hall of the palace
where the king grants an audience.
2. A goose seat (
haṁsāsana-pallaṅka
) is a throne made of Thingan wood
with goose (
haṁsa
) figures at the base and placed in the Jetavana Hall
where the king paid homage to the Three Treasures.
3. A conch seat (
saṅkhāsana-pallaṅka
) is a throne made of mango wood
with conch-shell figures at the base, and placed in the chamber where
the king puts on his headdress.
4. A bee seat (
bhamarāsana-pallaṅka
) is a throne made of caraway wood
with bee figures at the base and placed in the glass chamber where the
king retires.
5. An elephant seat (
gajāsana-pallaṅka
) is a throne made of Saga wood
with elephant figures at the base and placed in the Hall of Justice where
the king gives rewards and punishments.