Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c22.s7: Ownership of monasteries
Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c22.s7
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Ownership of monasteries
v1.c22.s7.1
Monks as a rule take the vow of poverty, hence individually they cannot own any property. The *vihāras* cannot be given to a monk; they can be given only to a *sangha* of monks and that again should preferably be to the *āgatānāgata-cātuddisa-sangha*, *i.e.* a *sangha*, the members of which are not only the *bhikkhus* of the four quarters but also those who will be *bhikkhus* in future. In some of the donative inscriptions of a later period (3rd century B.C. to 5th century A.D.) there are specific directions, dedicating the monasteries to a particular sect. This tendency developed when the Buddhist *sangha* had split up into many rival sects, and the devotees of one sect wanted to give their support to their own sect only.² When for the first time Buddha permitted his followers to accept *āvāsas*, *ārāmas*, *vihāras* or *pariveṇas*, he enjoined that they should be given to *āgatānāgata-cātuddisa-saṅgha*.¹ Even while accepting the Jetavana vihāra from Anāthapiṇḍika, he directed the donor to give it to *āgatānāgata-cātuddisa-saṅgha*.²
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² Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism, p. 314 n.
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¹ *Vinaya*, II, p. 147.
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² *Ibid.*, p. 164.
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The *saṅgha*, therefore, became the owner of the properties given away by the devotees, but the ownership was not absolute, for it could not alienate the properties nor even divide them among the members of the order.³ This restriction was applied not only to the landed properties including the grass, shrubs, etc., but also to the articles of furniture, utensils made of earth or iron, spades and such other things of common use in an *ārāma*.⁴ To what extent individual ownership was denied, becomes apparent from the fact that on the death of a monk, his robes and other articles of use became the property of the *saṅgha*,⁵ and the *saṅgha* is advised to distribute the robes and other small articles by proper announcement in an assembly among the monks or novices who served the deceased *bhikkhu* during his illness. This power of the *saṅgha* is denied in the case of heavy articles, for they were inalienable and indivisible.⁶
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³ *Ibid.*, II, p. 170-1.
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⁴ *Ibid.*
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⁵ *Ibid*, I, p. 303.
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⁶ *Ibid*, I, p. ; II, p. 171.
Cites (3)
- Cullavagga — Pāli
- Mahāvagga — Pāli
- Vinayapiṭaka — Pāli