Why should one sleep sitting up?

为什么要坐单？

The reason one sleeps sitting up is so that one will sleep less. If you sleep lying down, you can sleep for eight hours and still feel like you haven’t had enough sleep. On the other hand, you only need four hours if you sleep sitting up; you will feel energized and also be able to enter samadhi easily. Do not be afraid of hardship when it comes to meditation; do not be afraid of the pain in your legs and do not crave comfort. Do not say, “I’ll be really comfortable if I stretch my legs out and lie down; it is just too uncomfortable to sit.” Of course sitting is uncomfortable. However, look at all the Patriarchs of old; they achieved great things by enduring discomfort. If you crave comfort, eat well and sleep well, how can you show your sincerity in cultivation?

坐单的用意就是不睡那么多觉，你躺着睡八个钟头还觉得不够；你坐着睡四个钟头就已经够了，很有精神也容易入定。坐单你要不怕苦，不怕腿痛不贪舒服，不要说：「我把腿伸开，躺在那个地方很舒服，坐着实在不太舒服了。」坐着当然不舒服，但是你考察过去的祖师，都是在不舒服里边成就的；要是尽贪舒服，吃的好睡的好，怎么能表示出你修行的真心呢？

In India, there was the Venerable Xie (“Ribs”), who never lay down to sleep throughout his entire life. In China, there were also many cultivators who meditated and vowed to never lie down to sleep. In the United States, Buddhism is just beginning. The seeds have just been planted. That is why I promote eating only one meal per day and never lying down. These are two of the twelve ascetic practices.

所以在印度的胁尊者，他一生胁不着席，也就是不躺着睡觉；中国也有很多是坐单，发愿胁不着席的也有很多。在美国，佛教是刚刚开始，刚刚种下种子，所以我提倡日中一食，又长坐不卧，这是十二头陀行的其中两种。