BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Sekhiya Chapter 1059. I will not teach Dhamma to a person with a knife in his handwho is not ill: a training to be observed.The term knife here includes anything with a blade. According to the Commentary, ifthe knife is not in the listener's hand — e.g., it is in a sheath attached to a belt —there is no penalty in teaching him/her any Dhamma.60. I will not teach Dhamma to a person with a weapon in his handwho is not ill: a training to be observed.The Vibhaṅga defines weapon as a bow, and the Commentary includes arrows hereas well. The Vinaya-mukha adds guns; and in fact any weapon that does not have ablade would seem to fall under this rule.Again, if the weapon is not in the listener's hand — e.g., it is in a holster attachedto the belt — there is no penalty in teaching him/her any Dhamma.61-62. I will not teach Dhamma to a person wearing nonleather[leather] footwear who is not ill: a training to be observed.The Pali terms for non-leather and leather footwear — pādukā and upāhanā —cover all forms of shoes, sandals, and boots (see Mv.V.1.30-8.3).Wearing means any one of three things: placing one's feet on top of the footwearwithout inserting the toes; inserting the toes without fastening the footwear; orfastening the footwear with the toes inside.63. I will not teach Dhamma to a person in a vehicle who is not ill:a training to be observed.The Commentary makes the point that if the vehicle is large enough to seat two ormore, the bhikkhu may sit together with his listener and teach Dhamma withoutpenalty. The same holds true if the bhikkhu and his listener are in separate vehicles,as long as the bhikkhu's vehicle is the same height or higher than his listener's andis not following along behind it.64. I will not teach Dhamma to a person lying down who is not ill: atraining to be observed.453