Lzh Mu Bi Vb Np 25Exchanging Personal Property
Pāli / Sanskrit:Puggalikacetāpana
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Explanation of the Puggalikacetāpana Sutta
Background
The Puggalikacetāpana Sutta, Exchange of Personal Property, belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Discipline Basket of the Pāli Canon, and is part of the legal teaching of the Early Buddhist community. This text is recorded in the Vinaya Vibhaṅga, the Analysis of the Discipline, of the bhikkhu collections, which observe 227 rules.
The background for the arising of this text concerns practical situations in the monastic community, when bhikkhus had a need to exchange or trade personal items such as robes, bowls, sandals, and so on. Early Buddhism does not absolutely forbid transactions, but requires those gone forth to act according to proper principles, avoiding greed and deceit and protecting the purity of the Saṅgha. This text is a specific instruction to ensure that such exchanges do not become a source of affliction or a violation of the law.
Main Content
The Puggalikacetāpana text concerns the exchange of personal property (puggalika cetāpana) among bhikkhus. According to the Vinaya, each bhikkhu is permitted to possess the necessary items for the life of practice, such as the three robes (cīvara), the almsbowl (patta), sandals, a mat, and so forth. These things are called "personal property" and are protected under the regulations of the Saṅgha.
This text prescribes that when a bhikkhu wishes to exchange his property with another bhikkhu, he must follow the principle of transparency and openness. The exchange must not be carried out secretly or deceitfully, for this could lead to suspicions of greed or unwholesomeness within the Saṅgha. The text emphasizes that both parties must be clear about the value and quality of the items exchanged, and that there must be genuine consent from both sides.
In addition, the text prescribes that this exchange must not involve the intrusion of greed or hatred. The purpose of exchanging must be convenience in practice, not the accumulation of property or the display of distinctions within the Saṅgha.
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