..續本文上一頁us explaining am I one who speaks what is said by the Blessed One or have I falsely misrepresented the Blessed One

　　 Have I answered in accordance with this Teaching or would someone speaking in accordance with this Teaching find reason to blame me

　　´

　　(The Blessed One:) `Truly you, headman, by thus explaining are one who speaks what is said by me and did not falsely misrepresent me. You have answered in accordance with this Teaching and someone speaking in accordance with this Teaching would not find reason to blame you.

　　`For, headman, gold, silver, and money are not allowable for those monks who are the sons of the Sakyan prince. Those monks who are the sons of the Sakyan prince do not consent to gold, silver, or money. Those monks who are the sons of the Sakyan prince do not accept gold, silver, or money. Those monks who are the sons of the Sakyan prince have renounced gold and gems and are without money.

　　`Headman, for whoever gold, silver, or money are allowable then for him the five types of sense pleasure are allowable. For whoever the five types of sense pleasure are allowable you can be certain, “He does not possess the nature of a monk, he does not possess the nature of a son of the Sakyan prince.”

　　`Headman, really I say this, “By a monk who needs grass, grass can be searched for. For a monk who needs timber, timber can be searched for. For a monk who needs a cart, a cart can be searched for.” But, headman, I also say, “In no way whatsoever can gold, silver, or money be accepted or searched for.”´

　　The next quote from the end of Upakkilesa Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya, Book of Fours, Rohitassa Vagga, sutta no. 10) demonstrates that accepting money leads to continued rebirth.

　　`Stained by lust, anger, and blinded by ignorance

　　some monks and brahmins take delight in sense pleasures.

　　Those foolish monks and brahmins drink alcohol,

　　engage in sexual intercourse,

　　accept gold, silver, and money,

　　and obtain their requisites by wrong livelihood.

　　All of these are called corruptions by the Buddha who shines like the sun.

　　Those foolish monks and brahmins who are corrupted by these corruptions,

　　impure, and defiled, do not blaze or shine.

　　But instead bewildered, blinded, slaves to desire, and full of craving

　　they increase the size of cemeteries by taking birth again and again.´

　　In these suttas the Buddha has equated the acceptance of money with the indulgence in sense pleasures. In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta the Buddha clearly instructs:

　　`These two extremes, bhikkhus, should not be practised by one who has gone forth. Which two

　　 Indulgence in sense pleasure which is low, the way of villagers, the way of ordinary people, the way of the unenlightened, and unprofitable; and self-mortification which is painful, the way of the unenlightened, and unprofitable.´

　　It is taught that even a layperson who is an anagami (non-returner) keeps the ten precepts naturally and does not accept or use money. For example the anagami Ghatikara was without gems, gold, silver, or money, and made his living by taking earth that had eroded from the river bank and making it into pots. These pots he left at the side of the road and anyone who wished could leave a suitable amount of rice or food and take the pots. In this way Ghatikara supported himself and his blind parents. (See Ghatikara Sutta of Majjhima Nikaya.)

　　This demonstrates how money is an impediment to enlightenment and how the truly enlightened do not use money. The above quotes all prove that the acceptance of money by monks is not a small fault, and that it can render a monk incapable of attaining Nibbana.

　　Part 3. The Rules concerning Money

　　The meaning of `money´ in all these rules is: Anything that is used as currency for buying and selling. It includes coins…

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