Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 135Stingy With Families

The Kulamaccharinī Sutta — On Stinginess Toward Families

Background

The Kulamaccharinī Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the section of discipline for female bhikkhus. This is an important regulation in the disciplinary system of Theravāda Buddhism, reflecting the instruction of the Buddha Gotama on the pure and non-stingy way of life of nuns.

The term “Kulamaccharinī” consists of “kula” (family, kin) and “maccharī” (stingy, greedy), referring to an attitude of unwillingness to share or provide material goods to relatives. This rule was laid down when female bhikkhus attempted to monopolize or conceal items, especially clothing and necessities, rather than sharing them with other members of the community of monks and nuns.

Main Content

According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a female bhikkhu must not act “stingily toward family,” that is, must not intentionally conceal or refuse to provide material goods to parents, siblings, or close relatives. In particular, when there are clothes or standard items, the female bhikkhu must be willing to share with relatives if they are in need.

This action is regarded as a wrongful act (pācittiya), requiring public confession before the Sangha. The purpose of the rule is not to require a female bhikkhu to give away all property, but to remove the attitude of greed and stinginess, one of the principal obstacles on the path to awakening.

The Vinaya Piṭaka emphasizes that a practitioner should have a noble disposition, without discrimination between relatives and strangers. Stinginess toward family is regarded as especially unsuitable, because it shows excessive attachment to worldly relationships, a spiritual trap that practitioners must overcome.

Practical Meaning

The Kulamaccharinī Sutta is not merely an administrative rule in the monastery, but a profound lesson on the nature of greed and attachment.