Xct Mu Bi Pc 151Stingy With Families

Kulamaccharinī Sutra (Sutra on Stinginess Toward Families)

Background

This rule appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the disciplinary code for female monastics. Kulamaccharinī is one of the disciplinary rules formulated to govern the community of bhikkhunīs. The background arose from actual events: some bhikkhunīs showed stinginess and miserliness in their dealings with families, bringing shame upon the monastery and affecting the trust of the lay community.

The Buddha addressed this problem urgently because stinginess is not merely a defect of character, but also a violation of the spirit of loving-kindness (mettā), which Buddhism regards as foundational. In particular, when a bhikkhunī shows stinginess toward families (kulamaccharinī), this contrasts sharply with the image of a true practitioner, one who has gone forth to overcome material bonds and greed.

Main Content

This rule prohibits bhikkhunīs from showing stinginess, miserliness, or reluctant refusal when dealing with their families, especially in sharing goods, knowledge, or spiritual support. Stinginess in this context (macchariyā) is not only related to material possessions, but also includes a lack of kindness in attitude and speech.

According to the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, acts that violate this rule include refusing to share necessary items, showing resentment, behaving coldly, or having a contemptuous attitude toward family. A bhikkhunī is expected to maintain a simple heart (anekaraṭṭa), without greed and without stinginess. This reflects the basic teaching on the three poisons (moha, lobha, dosa): delusion, greed, and hatred.

The rule encourages bhikkhunīs to maintain a balance between the life of practice and ethical responsibility toward loved ones. This is not dependence or a requirement to endure misfortune, but an expression of unconditional compassion (karuṇā) and the capacity for giving (dāna).