[Buddha-l] Gremium, Ordination and Vinaya

[Richard Hayes]

On Jul 23, 2009, at 1:04 AM, schnipp schnupp wrote:

> Sorry for the confusion, I was so sure "gremium" is used in  
> English ...

No, we use the word "gremlin".

> So the question is: Who do you turn to when violations of Vinaya  
> rules occur in the US?

Whom exactlydo you mean by "you"? Are you addressing your question to  
bhikkhus or to lay persons? The vinayas (there are several recensions)  
all have elaborate procedures in place for dealing with those who do  
not abide by the various kinds of rules. It is the bhikkhu-sangha  
itself that determines whether a rule has been broken and what the  
appropriate action to be taken is. The monks themselves collectively  
interpret the rules and the procedures for determining how to enforce  
them; they do so by carefully studying the vinaya. If your question is  
directed to lay persons, then the answer is (and always has been) that  
lay Buddhists do not turn to anyone, because the violation of vinaya  
rules is none of their business. If lay Buddhists feel that a  
particular mendicant or set of mendicants is not acting as they would  
wish mendicants to act, then they can abstain from offering dāna to  
the mendicants deemed offensive. It has always been that way, since  
long before the Buddha laid down vinaya rules. Remember this: the word  
"bhikkhu" is the ordinary everyday word for beggar. No one is  
obligated to give alms to a beggar. If a beggar buggers up, then he or  
she can be told to bugger off. If someone else gives him alms, that is  
not your concern.

> Do you have kind of a Vinaya board to discuss them - which means  
> deal with them according to the Vinaya?

Where there is a bhikkhu-sangha there is a vinaya board to discuss  
such matters. If you would like to be on such a board, then accept  
ordination as a bhikkhu. Otherwise, butt out of the beggars' business.

> That, along with other tasks like making the Vinaya known, should be  
> the aim of such a board.

Anyone can read the vinaya. There are many editions, translations and  
studies available. Be advised, however, that knowing the vinaya will  
do nothing but keep you informed of what the vinaya says. It will  
still be the case (as you will know as a result of studying it) that  
interpretation of rules and procedures will be solely the concern of  
the people who have accepted the task of living in accordance with the  
vinaya.

> Another problem then is that the ordained don't like transparency  
> too much. I would hope that they make their "decisions" according to  
> the Vinaya visible in cases where the laity is interested (i.e.  
> needs to be protected from harming teachers).

If you believe that a bhikkhu has behaved badly, then give your alms  
to some other bhikkhu. Find a noble Buddhist bhikkhu to support, or go  
give alms to a Jain, or give a slice of pizza to a homeless person  
sitting in front of your favourite coffee shop. That is the only thing  
you as a layman can do.

If you would like to become involved in enforcing the vinaya, then  
become a bhikkhu and study the vinaya carefully. If you think the  
vinaya is an antiquated set of rules and procedures that have little  
or no relevance to life in the 21st century, then either avoid  
Buddhism altogether or find a Buddhist organization that does not  
abide by the vinaya.

Finally, if you have proof that a bhikkhu has broken a civil law, then  
bring the case before the secular police and courts. That is how  
things have been done since the time of the Buddha, who made it a  
vinaya offense to break the civil laws of the country in which the  
bhikkhu-sangha resides.

-- 
Richard Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico
http://dayamati.blogspot.com
http://dayamati.wordpress.com