The Bhikkhus Rules
A Guide for Laypeople
by Bhikkhu Ariyesako | 1998 | 50,970 words
The Theravadin Buddhist Monk's Rules compiled and explained by: Bhikkhu Ariyesako Discipline is for the sake of restraint, restraint for the sake of freedom from remorse, freedom from remorse for the sake of joy, joy for the sake of rapture, rapture for the sake of tranquillity, tranquillity for the sake of pleasure, pleasure for the sake of conce...
Buying And Selling
In the Buddhas time, the group of six bhikkhus engaged in buying and selling using money. Lay people seeing this, and thinking all bhikkhus did the same, started to complain saying, How can these Buddhist monks buy and sell using money, they are behaving just like lay people who enjoy the pleasures of the senses. The rule was then set down:
"If a bhikkhu engages in buying and selling with money (meaning whatever is used as money), it is [an offence of Confession with Forfeiture.]"
(Nis. Paac. 19; Nv p.11)
"Obtaining gold or money through trade is [an offence of Confession with Forfeiture.]"
(Summary of Nis. Paac. 19; BMC p.225)
Note that there the different interpretation in the above translations.
According to the texts[1] this would include investing money for a monetary return or even changing money into another currency. (For the intricacies of this see BMC p.213-230)
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
"Bhikkhu Brahmawangso has buying and selling using money; Ms. Horner has: transactions in which gold and silver is used, BD.2,106; Thanissaro Bhikkhu has monetary exchange, BMC, 220 and details the differing views of the Vinaya and Commentary and the variety of faults arising from various transactions. The Vinaya only outlines the procedure for forfeiting gold and money as a result of this action so this guideline seems to apply only to exchanging gold or money and selling for money." (HS Endnotes)