Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Np 19Trading With Money
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rūpiyasaṁvohāra
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The Sutta on Trading with Money (Rūpiyasaṁvohāra)
Background
The Rūpiyasaṁvohāra Sutta, “Trading with Money,” is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, especially in the Nissaggiya section of the Pātimokkha in the Pāli Canon. This sutta is especially emphasized in the Theravāda tradition, where the Vinaya Piṭaka is considered the foundation of Buddhist ethics.
The background of this sutta is connected with regulations concerning money (rūpiya) in the community of monks and nuns. In the Buddha’s time, as the Sangha developed, issues related to the use of money became a practical matter requiring regulation. This sutta reflects the Buddha’s profound consideration of the balance between practical necessity and the spiritual ideal of a bhikkhu.
Main Content
The Rūpiyasaṁvohāra Sutta prescribes that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs must not directly engage in monetary transactions or trade with money. This is one of the prohibitions (Nissaggiya Pācittiya, offenses requiring forfeiture and confession) in the Vinaya.
The specific content of the sutta states that if a bhikkhu receives or transacts directly with money, especially in order to accumulate it or trade, that person commits a Nissaggiya offense. However, the sutta also acknowledges that in reality bhikkhus need minimal requisites in order to live. Therefore, this rule is balanced: money is regarded as something “not to be touched directly,” while necessary living needs are still ensured through lay intermediaries.
The sutta emphasizes that refusing direct monetary transactions is not dogmatic or rigid, but a measure of spiritual protection. It helps bhikkhus stay away from desires related to greed, the wish to accumulate property, and complex calculations about profit.
Practical Meaning
This sutta has profound spiritual meaning.
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