Lzh Mi Bu Vb Np 29Trading With Money
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rūpiyasaṁvohāra
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
The Sutta on Trading With Money (Rūpiyasaṁvohāra)
Background
The Rūpiyasaṁvohāra Sutta lies in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the list of basic training rules that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must observe. The Vinaya Piṭaka of Theravāda Buddhism was compiled to protect the purity of the Sangha, especially in managing material life and property.
This sutta appears in the context of the Buddha seeing that some bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs were beginning to participate in trade, especially business connected with money, gold, and silver (rūpiya). This violated the spirit of going forth, namely renouncing worldly desires and attachment to property. Therefore, the Buddha established a training rule (sikkhāpada) prohibiting practitioners from buying, selling, or exchanging by means of money.
Main Content
The sutta states that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs are not permitted to participate in any form of commercial transaction involving money (rūpiya). Specifically, they must not buy, sell, barter, or use money as a means of making profit. This also includes asking others to perform such transactions on their behalf.
The reason for this rule is that money is regarded as one of the main causes leading to corruption, competition, and other afflictions. Maintaining distance from money helps practitioners preserve mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi), and qualities related to renunciation (nekkhamma).
Instead, bhikkhus are supported by lay followers (upāsakas) in the community, who voluntarily offer the necessities for the life of practice, such as robes, food, lodging, and medicine. This relationship is mutual support between the Sangha and laypeople, creating a system of mutual assistance grounded in humanity and impermanence.
Practical Meaning
The Rūpiyasaṁvohāra Sutta is not merely an administrative rule, but also expresses a profound philosophy of renunciation and liberation.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.