Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c22.44.3

c22.44.3

Thus, if a layman tendered to a Bhikkhu "the value in barter of a set of robes", it was ordained that the Bhikkhu must humbly say he could not accept "the robe-fund", but only the robes, which further must be bought only by his agent and not by himself, so that he might not have any direct contact with cash [*Pāt*., p. 23]. The regulations for Retreat during the rainy season prescribe that the Bhikkhu must remove from a place where he stumbles upon "ownerless treasure", the very sight of which was thus to be avoided! [*Mahāv.*, iii, 11, 4]. The rule regarding gold and silver was applied to some extent to a jewel. A Bhikkhu picking up a jewel or anything deemed a jewel must lay it aside "that he to whom it may belong may take it away" [*Pāt.*, p. 53]. It is this uncompromising attitude towards the encroachments of greed that kept the Saṁgha for centuries in its pristine purity, free from all earthly contamination. But the operation of the ordinance further shows that the forms or kinds of property which the individual Bhikkhu could not hold, the Saṁgha in its corporate capacity could not also hold. The contrary view is very often taken, but erroneously. The forms of property which were legitimate for the individual were alone legitimate for the Order too.