Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 18Money

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

18. TAKING AND HOLDING GOLD AND SILVER

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, near the city of Rājagaha.

At that time, in this city there was a certain Minister who had formerly been an intimate friend of Bhadananda. One day, the Minister received a large quantity of pork, and said to his wife:

"Bhadananda, the Śākyan son, is an old friend of mine. We should set aside a portion of the meat for him."

The wife, following her husband's instructions, set aside a portion of meat for Bhadananda.

That day happened to be a festival day for the people of Rājagaha, and various kinds of music and entertainment were organized, with no sleep throughout the night. The Minister's children were among those taking part. Having stayed awake the entire night, they were hungry and tired, and so asked their mother: "Is there any pork left?"

Their mother said:

"It is all gone. There is only the portion set aside for Bhadananda of the Śākyan clan."

The children then gave money to their mother and said:

"Mother, take this money. In the morning, go to the market and buy back a portion of meat for Bhadananda. As for that portion of meat, give it to us."

Their mother took the money and gave the portion of meat to them.

Early the next morning, Bhadananda put on his robe, took up his bowl, went to the Minister's house, and sat in the seat that had been prepared. At that time, the Minister's wife said:

"Yesterday our household received a large quantity of pork. The master told me: 'Bhadananda, the Śākyan son, is an old friend of mine. Set aside a portion of meat for him.' Following my husband's instructions, I did set aside a portion for the Venerable. But last night, it being a festival day, my children stayed up late and grew hungry, and came to ask for that portion of meat. They gave me five coins and said: 'In the morning, go to the market and buy back a portion of meat for Bhadananda. As for that portion, give it to us.' I gave the meat to them. With this money, I will now go to the market to buy back a portion of meat just like it. The Venerable may wait a moment."

Bhadananda then asked:

"They gave the money on my behalf, did they not?"

"Yes, they did give it."

"Since it was given on my behalf, give me the money directly. There is no need to buy meat."

At that point, the Minister's wife placed the money on the ground for Bhadananda. Having received this money, Bhadananda deposited it at a familiar trading establishment and went on his way. The lay people who witnessed this were all indignant: "The Śākyan ascetics deal in money. He deposited money at a trading establishment and went away." Among the bhikkhus who heard this, those who were of few desires, content, who lived the ascetic practices, who were fond of learning the precepts, who possessed a sense of shame and remorse, reproached Bhadananda:

"How could you receive money with your own hands, deposit it at a trading establishment, and go away?"

At that same time, the King and his Ministers had assembled and were deliberating: "Śākyan ascetics are permitted to hold gold, silver, and money. Śākyan ascetics do not need to relinquish gold, silver, money, pearls, precious gems, garlands, or fine elephants."

At that time, among those assembled, there was a Minister by the name of Jewel-topknot, who said to the other Ministers:

"It should not be said: 'Śākyan ascetics are permitted to hold gold, silver, and money, and need not relinquish precious gems and garlands.' Why so? I myself have heard the Tathāgata teach: 'Śākyan ascetics are not permitted to hold gold, silver, or money.' Śākyan ascetics are far removed from precious gems and garlands."

At that time, the Minister Jewel-topknot was possessed of great authority and the ability to speak skillfully, inspiring joy and trust in all who heard him. Afterward, Jewel-topknot went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. He then recounted this whole matter to the Blessed One in full, and then asked:

"What I have said in this manner — is it contrary to the Dharma in any way?"

The Buddha said to the Minister:

"What you have said is correct. Within the true Dharma it is of great benefit. There is nothing contrary in it. Why so? Śākyan ascetics are not permitted to hold gold, silver, or money. Śākyan ascetics are far removed from precious gems and garlands, and do not use them for adornment or beautification. Now you should know: if one holds gold, silver, or money and does not relinquish gems and precious ornaments, then one will also indulge in the five sensual pleasures. If one indulges in the five sensual pleasures, that is not the Dharma of Śākyan ascetics.

"Minister! You should know: if you see any Śākyan ascetic who calls me his Teacher, yet holds gold, silver, money, or precious gems, you may know with certainty that this is not the Dharma of Śākyan ascetics. I have said this: 'If a bhikkhu needs timber, thatch, bamboo, and so forth for building a hut, he is permitted to receive them. But he should not receive them for his own personal use.'

"Minister, you should know: the sun and moon have four afflictions that cause them to be without brightness, without purity, without the ability to illuminate, and without divine power. What are these four afflictions? They are asuras, smoke, clouds, and obscuring dust.

These are the great afflictions of the sun and moon. When these afflictions are encountered, the sun and moon are without brightness, without purity, without the ability to illuminate, and without divine power. Likewise, ascetics and brahmins also have four afflictions that cause them to be without brightness, without purity, without the ability to illuminate, and without divine power.

What are these four afflictions? If an ascetic or brahmin does not abandon the drinking of intoxicants, does not abandon sexual indulgence, does not abandon taking gold and silver with the hand, and does not abandon wrong livelihood — these are called the four great afflictions of ascetics and brahmins. They have the power to cause ascetics and brahmins to be without brightness, without purity, without the ability to illuminate, and without divine power."

Among the bhikkhus who heard this, those who were of few desires, content, who lived the ascetic practices, who were fond of learning the precepts, who possessed a sense of shame and remorse, reproached Bhadananda, and then went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, sat to one side, and recounted this whole matter to the Blessed One in full.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened an assembly of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha, and with countless skillful means reprimanded Bhadananda:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not proper conduct, not the behavior of an ascetic, not pure practice, not befitting conduct; you have done what should not be done. How could you receive money with your own hands, deposit it at a trading establishment, and go away?"

Having reprimanded him, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus:

"This is a foolish person; he is a ground in which many seeds of the āsavas are sown; he is the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall set forth a precept for the bhikkhus, drawing upon the ten principles, up to and including the long endurance of the true Dharma. Wishing to recite the precept, it should be spoken thus:

Whatever bhikkhu takes money, or gold and silver, with his own hand, or has another take it, or picks it up from the ground — nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Money: that which bears an inscription or image.

A bhikkhu who with his own hand takes gold, silver, or money, has another take it, or picks it up from the ground — nissaggiya pācittiya. This article must be relinquished.

The manner of relinquishment here is as follows: If in that place there is a trusted garden-keeper or an upāsaka, one should say to them: "This article is not appropriate for me; please take note of it." If that person takes it and sets it aside, and then gives it back to the bhikkhu, the bhikkhu should receive it on behalf of the donor's offering. Having received it, he should instruct a净人 (pure attendant) to keep it.

If a clean robe, bowl, needle case, or nisīdana is obtained, it should be exchanged accordingly and kept for use. If that upāsaka, after receiving it, gives the bhikkhu a clean robe, bowl, nisīdana, or needle case, he should receive it for use. If that person takes it but does not return anything, the bhikkhu should have other bhikkhus say to them: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification it was entrusted to you.

You should give back the article to that bhikkhu." If that person takes it but does not return it, and the other bhikkhus do not speak up, then the bhikkhu himself should go and say to that person: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification it was entrusted to you. Now you should give it to the Saṅgha, to a stūpa, to the preceptor, to a fellow disciple of the preceptor, to the ācārya, to a fellow student of the ācārya, to old acquaintances, or return it to the original donor." If one does not say to that person: "Acknowledge this; look at this" — this is a dukkaṭa offense.

For a bhikkhunī — nissaggiya pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī — dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If one says, "Be aware of this. Look at this." Or if there is a garden keeper, or a faithful lay devotee (upāsaka), one says to them: "This is not proper; I should not receive it. You should take note of it." The other person, having received it, returns it to the bhikkhu.

The bhikkhu should receive it on behalf of the donor, then hand it over to a净person (tịnh nhân) to keep. Afterward, if there is need for a robe, a bowl, a needle case, or a sitting mat (nisīdana), one may exchange it in order to keep those requisites. If the other person takes it and then offers a proper robe, bowl, sitting mat, or needle case, one should receive those to keep.

If the other person refuses to hand over the robe, one should ask other bhikkhus to speak to them, saying: "The Buddha teaches that, wishing to make it pure, it was given to you. You should now return that article to the bhikkhu." If the other person has taken it and does not return it, and the other bhikkhus have not spoken, then one should go oneself and say to them: "The Buddha teaches that, wishing to make it pure, it was given to you.

Now you should offer it to the Sangha, to the stupa, to the preceptor (upādhyāya), to a fellow disciple of the same preceptor, to the teacher (ācārya), to a fellow disciple of the same teacher, to old acquaintances, or return it to the original donor." One should not allow the offerings of the faithful donors to be lost. All of this being done, there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender before the rule was established; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, afflicted with pain, or acting under duress.

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Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002