Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 18Money

The Money Sutta (Rūpiya Sutta)

Background

The Rūpiya Sutta belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a key part of the Pāli Canon in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The content of the sutta concerns rules and instructions on how Buddhist monastics should relate to money and material property. It is part of the Pātimokkha, the set of prohibitions that bhikkhus must observe.

The historical formation of this sutta is connected with the development of the organization of the Sangha, the monastic community, after the Buddha’s nirvana. The elders had to build clear rules in order to maintain discipline in the Sangha, especially with regard to economic matters and money. Thus the Rūpiya Sutta is not a direct teaching by the Buddha, but decisions of the Sangha, the great assembly, to protect the monastic path.

Main Content

The Rūpiya Sutta sets forth basic principles concerning the fact that monastics must not directly possess or transact with money, gold, silver, or coins. This is one of the most important prohibitions, reflecting the philosophy of Buddhist practice: relinquishing greed and attachment to material things.

According to the rule, bhikkhus may not receive money directly from devotees or from anyone else. If devotees wish to offer financial support, they must offer necessary requisites to the monastic, such as robes, food, lodging, and medicine, or ask a representative to manage the funds on their behalf. This person, called a "kappiya-kāraka," handles monetary transactions on behalf of the monastic.

This is not because money is "evil" in itself, but because direct dealings with money easily lead to greed, deceit, and the use of the Buddhist name for personal gain. The sutta teaches that monastics should live simply, dependent on the offerings of the community, thereby educating both themselves and the devotees in renunciation.