[Buddha-l] The *** Problem, Revisited

[R B Basham]

Another view of immorality within Buddhist societies; portions clearly
rationalized, some seem understood. I perceived the 'three poisons'
sprinkled about.


Richard Basham

**

No moksha* in Thai samsara of monastic scandals
by Dr Mano Laohavanich, The Bangkok Post, Sept 30, 2010

Bangkok, Thailand -- Buddhists in Thailand are usually proud of their
faith - that the form of Buddhism they believe in, as one of the three
cardinal national institutes, is the purest and most orthodox school of
Buddhism directly passed down from the time of Lord Buddha over 2,500
years ago. It is also the land where Buddhist monks are following the
strictest interpretation of monastic rules.

One of the common things that they are not aware of is the fact that in
Theravada culture, news about bad behaviour of monks is easily and
commonly scandalised.

...

Therefore, the logic behind Buddhist donations is not for the purpose of
purity of the mind, but to have the highest yield from their donation.
Psychologically, the paternalist attitude of the lay Buddhists towards
their monks is born of the instinctive protection of their own spiritual
investment. Some psychoanalysts have taken further steps in analysing
that the paternalistic nature of lay Buddhists develops from the
"baby-like" innocent faces of monks: monks have to shave their heads
regularly and this tradition has made their faces look like babies', an
image which stirs the maternal instincts of lay women. This theory not
only explains why the majority of attendants of monks and monasteries
are women and not men, but also the maternalistic attitude of Thai women
towards monks.
...

The system of the ecclesiastical administration in Thailand is surely
responsible for this moral decadence. It is over-centralised and
feudalistic. Besides, there is no room for lay people to file any
accusation against any monk, except to report the wrongdoing to their
senior authority, in the hope that they will receive justice.

...


http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=8,9569,0,0,1,0