San Lo Bi Vb Np 5Bartering

Exposition of the Kayavikkaya Sutta (The Sutta on Bartering)

Background

Kayavikkaya (Pāli: kaya-vikkaya, meaning “bartering” or “exchange of goods”) is an instruction in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This rule belongs to the Pātimokkha, the code of self-restraint for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs.

The background of this rule is connected with the Buddha’s lifetime. In the early period of the Sangha, bhikkhus sometimes took part in exchange or buying and selling of goods in order to increase their personal property. Seeing that this was contrary to the spirit of going forth, namely abandoning greed and individualism, the Buddha set forth prohibitions to protect the purity and concentration of practice in the Sangha.

Main Content

The rule of Kayavikkaya forbids bhikkhus from taking part in buying, selling, exchanging, or doing business with goods. This rule applies to all kinds of material goods, whether small or large. The basic principle is that a bhikkhu must not use his property or articles to seek personal profit.

Specifically, the rule prohibits:

First, the exchange of goods among bhikkhus themselves or with outsiders for the purpose of business.

Second, the use of articles provided by the faithful, such as robes, bowls, and belts, for business or profit seeking.

Third, every kind of unlawful buying and selling, including transactions regarded as “substitutions” or “fair exchanges.”

The purpose of this rule is not to restrict freedom, but to protect the spirit of going forth. When a bhikkhu begins to calculate gain, bargain over prices, or accumulate property, the mind is distracted from the principal aim of practice, namely the development of wisdom and attainment of nirvana.

Practical Meaning

Kayavikkaya carries profound psychological and ethical meaning. It reminds us that the practice of the Buddha-Dharma requires purity in financial and economic matters.