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

[JKirkpatrick]

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
[...........]

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

____________________________

"In reality, the system is highly conservative, infested with
nepotism and cronyism. There have been many cases of
high-profile, charismatic monks getting away with their
wrongdoing. Disappointed by bad news about their monks, many lay
Buddhists do not give up, they simply go in search of a better
field of merit for their own good. As a consequence, more good
monks are faced with more worldly temptations.

Educated Buddhists in Thailand are therefore looking forward to a
radical reformation of the ecclesiastical community, to put an
end to this endless samsara of scandal. But their goal seems
virtually remote and far-fetched. In reality, there is no
political party or leader in the government who is brave and
smart enough to solve the problem in Buddhism."

Doesn't this situation remind of similar conditions and
situations within the halls of government and in many
non-Buddhist religious organisations in the 'west'?

Joanna