BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

The Robe-cloth Chapter Chapter 7.1Fund management. The Commentary states that if a Community fund has been setup for a particular requisite, it should as a general principle be used to buy only thatrequisite. If, however, the Community has enough of one kind of lahubhaṇḍa —goods that may be shared among the bhikkhus — but not enough of another, thefund for the first kind may be diverted to the second kind by an apalokana-kamma:a Community transaction in which the motion is phrased in one's own words andunanimously accepted.Funds for lodgings and furniture, though, because they are garubhaṇḍa (heavy orexpensive goods that may not be shared among the bhikkhus), may not be divertedto lahubhaṇḍa at all. But if Saṅgha furniture is going unused and is in danger ofdeteriorating before it gets used, the Community may arrange to have it exchanged— using the procedure allowed under NP 20, and making sure not to let it go forless than its full value — and then use the proceeds for lahubhaṇḍa. TheCommentary adds that proceeds of this sort should be used "frugally, just enoughto keep life going." In other words, if the Community is not in straitenedcircumstances, the proceeds should not be used for lahubhaṇḍa at all, and insteadshould be reserved for garubhaṇḍa as the need arises. If, however, the Communityis suffering from such catastrophes as disease or famine, they may allow theproceeds to be used for lahubhaṇḍa as needed, but not to splurge on anythingexcessive.Summary: When a fund for one's individual use has been set up with a steward,obtaining an article from the fund as a result of having prompted the steward morethan the allowable number of times is a nissaggiya pācittiya offense.181