Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 19Trading With Money

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

19. TRADING IN VALUABLES

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak Mountain, at Rājagṛha.

At that time, Upananda went to a merchant's shop, exchanged money for money, and then took it away. The laypeople who saw this all criticized him, saying: "The Śākya ascetics exchange money for money—they are well versed in buying and selling."

Among the bhikkhus who heard of this, those who were of few desires, content, who practiced the austere practices, delighted in training in the precepts, and who knew shame and remorse, reproached Upananda, saying: "Why did you exchange money for money and take it away?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side, then reported this matter to the Blessed One in full.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened the assembly of the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked Upananda, saying:

"What you have done is wrong, is not proper conduct, is not in accordance with the ascetic life, is not pure practice, is not conforming behavior, is doing what ought not to be done. Why did you exchange money for money?"

The Blessed One rebuked him with countless skillful means, and then said to the bhikkhus:

"This person is foolish; he is a field that produces many defiled seeds; he is the first to transgress this precept. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for bhikkhus, comprising ten beneficial principles, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu engages in trading in money, valuables, and treasures, in any form whatsoever—nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Trading in any form whatsoever: Exchanging refined gold for refined gold; exchanging unrefined gold for refined gold; exchanging unrefined gold for refined silver; exchanging unrefined silver for refined silver; unrefined; exchanging half-and-half unrefined silver for money. Exchanging unrefined gold for refined gold; exchanging unrefined gold, refined gold for unrefined gold; exchanging refined silver, exchanging unrefined silver; exchanging refined and unrefined silver, exchanging money.

Exchanging refined-and-unrefined gold for refined gold; exchanging unrefined gold, refined-and-unrefined gold; exchanging refined silver, exchanging unrefined silver; exchanging refined and unrefined silver, exchanging money. Exchanging refined silver for gold, and so on up to exchanging for money, likewise. Exchanging unrefined silver for gold, and so on up to exchanging for money, likewise.

Exchanging unrefined silver for gold, and so on up to exchanging for money, likewise. Exchanging refined-and-unrefined silver for gold, and so on up to exchanging for money, likewise. Exchanging money for gold, and so on up to exchanging for money, likewise.

Money: there are eight kinds: gold coins, silver coins, tin coins, copper coins, white wax coins, lead-tin coins, wooden coins, and pepper coins.

If any bhikkhu engages in trading in valuables of any kind in any form whatsoever—exchanging refined gold for refined gold, and so on up to exchanging for money—nissaggiya pācittiya. This object must be forfeited.

The method of forfeiture: If there is a garden keeper or a faithful upāsaka, one should say to them: "This object is not suitable for me. Please be aware of this!" If that person accepts it and then returns it to the bhikkhu, the bhikkhu should receive it on behalf of the donor and then instruct a净人 (pure attendant) to keep it. Afterward, if a净 robe, bowl, sitting mat, or needle case is needed, it may be exchanged for such items in order to receive and keep them.

If that person, having accepted it, gives the bhikkhu净 robes, a bowl, a sitting mat, or a needle case, these should be received and kept. If that person accepts it but does not return anything to the bhikkhu, one should ask other bhikkhus to speak to them, saying: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification, the object was entrusted to you. You should return that object to the bhikkhu." If the other bhikkhus speak to them and they still do not return it, one should go oneself and say: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification, the object was entrusted to you.

Now you should give it to the Sangha, to the stūpa, to the preceptor, to a fellow disciple of the preceptor, to the ācārya, to a fellow disciple of the ācārya, to a longtime close acquaintance, or return it to its original owner." Why so? Because one does not wish to cause loss of the donor's property. If a bhikkhu does not say to that person: "Look at this!

Take note of this!"—he commits a dukkaṭa.

For bhikkhunīs: nissaggiya pācittiya. For sikṣamāṇās, sāmaṇeras, and sāmaṇerīs: dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If one says to a person: "Be aware of this! Look at this!" Or if one speaks to a garden keeper or to a faithful upāsaka, saying: "This object is not suitable for me. Please be aware of this!" If that person accepts it and then returns it to the bhikkhu, the bhikkhu should receive it on behalf of the donor and then instruct a pure attendant to keep it.

Afterward, if a净 robe, bowl, sitting mat, or needle case is needed, it may be exchanged for such items in order to receive and keep them. If that person, having accepted it, gives the bhikkhu净 robes, a bowl, a sitting mat, or a needle case, these should be received and kept. If that person accepts it but does not return anything to the bhikkhu, one should ask other bhikkhus to speak to them, saying: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification, the object was entrusted to you.

You should return that object to the bhikkhu." If the other bhikkhus speak to them and they still do not return it, one should go oneself and say: "The Buddha has taught that for the purpose of purification, the object was entrusted to you. Now you should give it to the Sangha, to the stūpa, to the preceptor, to a fellow disciple of the preceptor, to the ācārya, to a fellow disciple of the ācārya, to a longtime close acquaintance, or return it to its original owner." Why so?

Because one does not wish to cause loss of the donor's property. If one uses money to exchange for ornamental articles for the benefit of the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha; or uses ornamental articles to exchange for money for the benefit of the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Sangha—there is no offense.

Those not guilty of an offense: the first offender before the rule was established; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or afflicted with severe pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA 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, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002