Upp Np 18Money

The Sutta on Money (Rūpiya Sutta)

Context

The Rūpiya Sutta belongs to the supplementary section of the Vinaya Piṭaka (Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga), especially the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section, the rules concerning offenses requiring relinquishment and confession. This discourse is presented in the context of bhikkhunīs practicing according to the discipline of early Buddhism.

In the lifetime of Buddha Śākyamuni, when women monastics were first allowed by the Buddha to go forth, many issues arose concerning the management of property and money. Money (rūpiya, whose original meaning is “gold” or “precious metal”) was regarded as a form of material possession capable of distracting the mind from practice. To protect the purity and concentration of the bhikkhunī Sangha, the Buddha established specific disciplinary rules concerning the acceptance, keeping, or spending of money.

Main Content

The Rūpiya Nissaggiya Pācittiya states that if a bhikkhunī directly accepts or keeps money, including gold or silver, this is a Nissaggiya Pācittiya offense, more serious than an ordinary Pācittiya, because after committing this offense the nun must first relinquish the offending object before she can confess. Specifically, if a bhikkhunī accepts money from outsiders, whether relatives or anyone else, or allows another person to keep money for her, or takes part in transactions involving money, all these actions violate the discipline.

However, the discourse also clearly states exceptions and proper ways of handling such matters. For example, if money is given to the Sangha community, it is handled through authorized members. In addition, there are other forms similar to money that are not prohibited, such as allowable requisites (bing rūpiya, “money equivalents”).

Practical Meaning

The Rūpiya Sutta is not an absolute prohibition for its own sake, but guidance for monastics to avoid material ambition. In the early discipline, keeping away from money is regarded as a means of spiritual protection.