[763] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, the monastery of Anāthapiṇḍika. Now at that time a sitting cloth (nisīdana) had been allowed to the bhikkhus by the Blessed One. The group-of-six bhikkhus, thinking, "A sitting cloth has been allowed by the Blessed One," kept sitting cloths without measure; they let them hang down in front and behind of beds and of benches. Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes … criticized, complained, and spread it about, saying, "How can the group-of-six bhikkhus keep sitting cloths without measure?" …
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that you keep sitting cloths without measure?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How can you, foolish men, keep sitting cloths without measure? This, foolish men, is not for the arousing of confidence in those without confidence, nor for the increase of confidence in those already confident. …
"And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule: When a bhikkhu is having a sitting cloth made, it must be made to measure. Here this is the measure: in length, two spans of the Sugata-span; across, one and a half. For one who exceeds that, there is a pācittiya entailing cutting."
And thus this training rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.