Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 20Bartering

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

20. BARTERING

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, at Śrāvastī. At that time, Upananda the Śākyan, while traveling through the country of Kosala, came to a village in which there was no lodging. Upon arriving in the village, he exchanged raw ginger for food. Having eaten, he departed.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra was also traveling through the land of Kosala, and arrived at that same village where there was no lodging. When the time came, he put on his robe, took up his bowl, entered the village for alms, and proceeded in order until he came to a place where rice was sold. He stood there in silence. The rice-seller, seeing this, said:

"Venerable One, what do you need?"

The Venerable One replied:

"Householder, I need food."

The other said:

"Bring something of value."

The Venerable One said in surprise:

"Do not speak thus. That is something we ought not to do."

The rice-seller said:

"Just now Upananda exchanged raw ginger for food. He ate and left. Why does the Venerable One say he would not do such a thing?"

The Venerable Śāriputra, hearing this, felt ashamed and said nothing. Having finished his alms round, he returned to the monastery and related this matter to the monks.

At that time in the city of Śrāvastī there was an adherent of an outside path who had obtained a fine and valuable robe. He thought to himself: "What do I need with this valuable robe? I should exchange it for another." He then thought further: "Where might I be able to exchange this robe? Only the disciples of the Śākyan ascetics are fond of wearing fine robes. Surely they would be willing to exchange." Having thought this, he took the robe to the monastery and said to the monks:

"I wish to exchange this robe. Whoever wishes to exchange, let him do so."

Upananda, hearing this, at once said:

"Bring it here tomorrow morning! I will exchange robes with you."

Upananda was very skilled in sewing and repairing robes. That very night he took an old robe, washed it, dyed it, pressed it, and made it appear bright and new. The next morning, the outsider brought his robe to the monastery and said to the monks:

"Whoever wishes to exchange a robe, let him do so."

At that time Upananda immediately brought out his own robe, presented it, and said to the outsider:

"I will exchange this robe with you—will you give me your robe in exchange for mine?"

The outsider replied:

"Agreed."

The two exchanged. The outsider took the robe back to the garden where he resided and showed it to the other outsiders, saying:

"Friends, you should know that I exchanged the robe I was wearing for this one."

Among the outsiders there was one of discernment who said:

"You have been deceived. Why do I say so? Your own robe was good—wide, long, and durable. This robe is an old one; it merely looks bright and new because it was skillfully pressed and prepared."

That outsider, upon hearing this, took the robe he had just received, went into the monastery, and said to Upananda:

"I am returning your robe. Please return mine to me."

Upananda said:

"The exchange has already been made. It cannot be reversed."

The outsider said:

"My robe was new and good—wide, long, and durable—whereas your robe was old and poor, merely dressed up to look new."

Upananda said:

"The exchange has already been made. I will absolutely not return it."

The outsider complained indignantly:

"Is it that I cannot even reclaim my own robe? My robe was new, good, wide, long, and durable. Your robe was old and inferior. How is it that two renunciants, having exchanged robes with each other, cannot make a return?"

Among the monks who heard this, there were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the austere practices, who were fond of learning the precepts, and who possessed a sense of shame and remorse. They reproached Upananda, saying: "Why did you exchange raw ginger for food to eat? And why, having exchanged robes with an outsider, did you refuse to allow the return?"

The monks went to the Blessed One, reverently bowed at his feet, and sat to one side. They reported this entire matter to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the monks and rebuked Upananda:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the practice of an ascetic, not pure conduct, not conforming behavior; it is something that should not be done. Why did you exchange ginger for food to eat? And why, having exchanged robes with an outsider, did you refuse to allow the return?"

The Blessed One rebuked him with numerous skillful means, and then addressed the monks:

"From this time forward, I permit the five assemblies of those who have gone forth to exchange with one another. When making an exchange, valuations should not go excessively high or low as in the manner of the marketplace. One must not engage in exchange transactions with others directly; rather, one should have a净 person (净人, kappiyakāraka) carry out such transactions. If the other party wishes to make a return, one should return the item to them. From now on, I shall establish this precept for the monks, drawing upon ten principles … so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever monk engages in commercial trade or barter in any form whatsoever—nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Monk: as explained above.

Commercial trade or barter in any form whatsoever: exchanging timely medicine for timely medicine; exchanging timely medicine for non-timely medicine; exchanging timely medicine for seven-day medicine; exchanging timely medicine for life-long medicine; exchanging timely medicine for pārikathā requisites.

Exchanging non-timely medicine for non-timely medicine; exchanging non-timely medicine for seven-day medicine; exchanging non-timely medicine for life-long medicine; exchanging non-timely medicine for pārikathā requisites; exchanging non-timely medicine for timely medicine.

Exchanging seven-day medicine for seven-day medicine; exchanging seven-day medicine … and so on for non-timely medicine as well.

Exchanging life-long medicine for life-long medicine, and so on up to exchanging for seven-day medicine, likewise.

Exchanging pārikathā requisites for pārikathā requisites, and so on up to exchanging for life-long requisites, likewise.

Selling: at a value of one coin, raising or lowering the price multiple times.

Raising the price: an item worth one coin, stating a price of three coins.

Selling at a high price: an item worth one coin, stating a price of five coins. Buying is the same.

If a monk engages in commercial trade or barter in any form and obtains a profit, it is nissaggiya pācittiya; if no profit is obtained, it is a duṣkṛta.

This nissaggiya offense must be forfeited to the Saṅgha, or to a group of monks, or to one individual monk; it may not be forfeited outside the assembly. If the forfeiture is not properly carried out, it is a duṣkṛta. When forfeiting, the offender must come before the Saṅgha, bare the right shoulder, remove footwear, respectfully bow toward the senior monk, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join the palms together, and declare as follows:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! I, the monk named …, having engaged in all manner of commerce and obtained material goods, have committed a nissaggiya offense. I now forfeit this to the Saṅgha."

After forfeiture, he must confess the offense. First, the monk who receives the confession must make the following announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This monk named … has engaged in all manner of commerce, obtained material goods, and committed a nissaggiya offense. He now forfeits this to the Saṅgha. If it seems right to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha approves, I shall receive the confession of the monk named …. This is the announcement."

After the announcement has been made, the confession is then received. When receiving the confession, the one who receives it must say to the offender:

"Reproach yourself in your own mind!"

The monk who has committed the offense replies:

"I will."

The Saṅgha should return the goods to this monk by means of a jñaptidvitīyakarman (announcement-with-one-resolution) as follows: The Saṅgha should appoint a capable monk to carry out the karmavācanā, and based on the matter at hand, make the following announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This monk named … has engaged in all manner of commerce, committed a nissaggiya offense, and has now forfeited this to the Saṅgha. If it seems right to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha approves, the goods shall be returned to the monk named …. This is the announcement."

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This monk named … has engaged in all manner of commerce, obtained material goods, committed a nissaggiya offense, and has now forfeited this to the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha now returns these goods to this monk. Those elders who consent to the Saṅgha returning these goods to this monk should remain silent. Those who do not consent should speak."

"The Saṅgha has consented to returning the goods to this monk. The Saṅgha consents and is therefore silent. This matter is recorded as such."

If the offender has forfeited before the Saṅgha and the Saṅgha does not return the goods, it is a duṣkṛta. If at the time of return someone says "do not return it," that person commits a duṣkṛta. If one converts it into a pure gift, or gives it away to someone, or deliberately destroys it, or continues to use it, or applies it to another purpose, all of these constitute duṣkṛta offenses.

For a bhikṣuṇī, it is nissaggiya pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: Exchanging with any of the five assemblies of those who have gone forth; assessing the value oneself without excessive discrepancy in the manner of traders; not engaging in exchange transactions with others personally; or having a净人 (kappiyakāraka) carry out the exchange; or if the other party regrets the exchange, allowing them to make a return. Or exchanging milk for oil, or oil for milk. None of these constitute an offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender before the precept was established; one who is insane; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted with severe pain and overwhelmed by distress.

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 volumes 1–21, Vietnamese translation volumes 1, 2)

Buddhist Publications Committee 2002