Lzh Mg Bu Pm Pc 91Diverting Gains
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pariṇāmana
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THE SCRIPTURE OF DIRECTING TOWARD THE GOOD (PARIṆĀMANA)
Background
Pariṇāmana (directing toward the good) is an important rule within the Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism, belonging to the Pāṭimokkha (the code of training rules) of the Bhikkhunī Vinaya. This scripture addresses a subtle yet profound matter in the conduct of female monastics: how to make use of the merit and benefits arising from one's practice in a manner consonant with the true spirit of the Dharma.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of prohibitions; it is a framework for living that assists fellow practitioners in attaining concentration, wisdom, and liberation. The question of "directing toward the good" arises when a bhikkhunī receives material benefits — such as gifts, money, or support from the faithful — and must consider how to make use of them. The directing spoken of here is not simply a matter of goodwill, but an act of careful discernment: the practitioner ought to direct these benefits toward the Sangha, toward the Triple Gem, or toward the aims of her own practice.
Principal Content
According to the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, Pariṇāmana establishes that bhikkhunīs may not on their own authority decide to "direct" benefits they have received toward personal purposes or toward ends inconsistent with the spirit of the renunciant life. This rule safeguards the purity of the monastic community and prevents instances in which the trust of the faithful might be exploited.
Specifically, when a female monastic receives a gift or financial support, she may not of her own accord "direct" it (Pāli: pariṇāmeti) so as to accumulate private wealth or apply it to purposes contrary to the precepts. Should it be necessary to redirect such benefits, the monastic must do so through proper channels: reporting to the senior bhikkhunī, to the Sangha, or to those holding recognized authority within the monastic community.
The deeper reason underlying this rule rests in the principle of non-possession (apariggaha) — one of the foundational constituents of the life of practice according to the Buddha-Dharma. Bhikkhunīs who uphold the Vinaya are not permitted to accumulate possessions or to establish exclusive personal ownership.
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