Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Np 20Bartering

Kayavikkaya Sutta — The Rule Prohibiting Barter

Background

Kayavikkaya, bartering, is a minor regulation recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, within the scope of the Pātimokkha, the basic code of the Sangha. This sutta arose from a specific event in the historical formation of the Sangha community by the Buddha.

According to the teaching of early monastic masters, this prohibition was established after some monks had engaged in buying, selling, and exchanging goods with ordinary people. This action was contrary to the spirit of alms-seeking and renunciation of one gone forth, the qualities that form the nature of the Sangha in the Theravāda lineage. The Buddha, recognizing this deviation, established the prohibition in order to protect the temple community and the spirit of practice of the monastic community.

Main Content

Kayavikkaya is specifically the rule that forbids monastics from engaging in direct exchanges of goods. This includes buying, selling, bartering, or negotiating over articles, especially things of value. The scope of the prohibition extends from requisites essential for practice, such as robes, bowls, beds, and mats, to other things.

This rule does not prohibit monastics from receiving necessary items from the community through alms or from faithful donors, but it forbids active participation in the process of exchange. If a monk needs something, the principle is to ask another person to act as intermediary, such as another monk or laypeople, rather than personally taking part in the transaction.

The penalty for violating Kayavikkaya is classed as Pācittiya, a fault requiring confession, or Dukkaṭa depending on the details in each tradition. This shows the seriousness of the law, though it is not at the level of exclusion from the Sangha community.

Practical Meaning

Kayavikkaya reflects a profound principle concerning the way of life of one gone forth: separation from the worldly economy.