Mpt Np 18Money
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rūpiya
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Explanation of the Rūpiya Sutra (Money)
Background
The Rūpiya Sutra (Rūpiya, money) belongs to the Pāli Canon and is found in the Nipāta section of the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically among the regulations concerning property and objects that bhikkhus are not permitted to possess directly. This text was recorded from the teachings of the Buddha Gotama on the discipline of the Sangha, intended to maintain the purity of the Sangha and protect renunciants from the snares of greed.
In the Buddha’s time, there were bhikkhus who did not follow the principle of austerity. They argued that possessing money was not wrong, or tried to find ways to own property without violating the principle. To cut off these devious measures, the Buddha taught a clear rule: bhikkhus must completely renounce money and valuables.
Main Content
The Rūpiya Sutra prescribes that a bhikkhu’s ownership, keeping, or use of money (rūpiya) in any form, including clothing, gold, silver, and jewelry, is a serious fault. This is not a minor offense but an act that profoundly violates the principle of austerity and renunciation.
The specific rule includes the following: bhikkhus must not ask for, receive, or keep money directly. If someone offers money, the bhikkhu must refuse it or state that the money is to be used for the community, not for the individual. In fact, even appointing someone to use money is considered a form of indirect possession and is therefore forbidden.
The text also records exceptions: a bhikkhu may sometimes ask an upāsaka or others to manage his money if it is money given by parents or friends, but this too is strictly limited. The core principle remains: money is poison to the life of practice.
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