[Q&A] Vinaya Rule which prohibits on engaging in political activities

[Johann]

Vinaya Rule which prohibits on engaging in political activities

There are many monks who are engaging in many political activities such as riots and other types of embarrassing activities in certain countries.

What are the Vinaya Rules on these? It would be great if sources are provided.

Venerable members of the Sangha,
walking in front Fellows in leading the holly life.

    

In Respect of the Triple Gems, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, in Respect of the Elders of the community , my person tries to answer this question. Please, may all knowledgeable Venerables and Dhammika, out of compassion, correct my person, if something is not correct and fill also graps, if something is missing.

Valued Upasaka, Upasika, Aramika(inis),
dear Readers and Visitors,

 

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa - 

(This is a maybe modified and expanded answer of the "original" that can be found here . )



Akila Hettiarachchi, and those with interest,

Taking side and to even maintains ones livelihood by such means is a heavy offense, when it falls under the rule given as Sanghadisesa 13 , which, if a monk does not change his ways, could/should lead even to be banned from the community. (See disciplinary transactions ).

If on ordering or suggesting, e.g. by means of speech, with words, signs, letter, gesture, he moves people to act on it, saying "it would be good to kill, beat, derive, ban... those/him, her...", he did beak the certain rule for each case, if it is done on that account. In the case of killing, he would have transgressed a downfall rule, Pārājika 3, or if possession if taking on his account, Pārājika 2. In this cases, he does no more count as member of the Sangha, whether he accept, confesses or not and can no more ordain in this live.
 

A bhikkhu who violates any of these four pārājika rules is automatically no longer a bhikkhu. There is no need for him to go through a formal ceremony of disrobing, for the act of violating the rule is an act of disrobing in and of itself. As each of the rules states, he is no longer in affiliation, which the word-analysis defines as no longer having a single transaction (i.e., he can no longer participate in any Community meetings), no longer having a single recitation (i.e., he can no longer participate in the uposatha (see BMC2, Chapter 15)), no longer having a training in common with the bhikkhus.

Even if a bhikkhu who has violated any of these rules continues to pretend to be a bhikkhu, he does not really count as one; as soon as the facts are known he must be expelled from the Saṅgha. He can never again properly ordain as a bhikkhu in this life. If he tries to ordain in a Community that does not know of his offense, his ordination is invalid, and he must be expelled as soon as the truth is found out.

A serious matter, than many activists, not only from the independent kammic effect underestimate. (Think on issues like abortion, euthanasia... as political matters for example).

If arguing for such "popular" things, to make certain groups a favor, to gain, keep, have them as possible supporter, even if a lager community does, uses such means to stay established, it's in the frame of Sanghadisesa 13, if not directly urge for actions but give signs or words of taking side. Many, so called "political correctness" packed in single or public teaching cover such. It touches also the matter of speaking for or against political parties, or single politicans, kings, groups, or what ever, might they called broadly good or bad, as a matter of favor.

To count faults of lay people, for example, is also touching another rule which forbids doing such, and if doing for a favour, to maintain one livelihood, again Sg13.

It's difficult today, where most monks are actually normal citizens (householder), are even voting on elections and hold on common rights, to find such not involved.

A Bhikkhu, taking certain side or "trades" in ways improper for a recluse, living on alms of the country, to do what ever favor to maintain his suppoter or gain estimate is called "corrupter of families".

Today many monks and even whole communities are actually living in improper relation to certain families, depending on this or that village... group of supporter. Since many live in this or that way in improper ways, doing favors for support, it's seemingly not often the case that there is less urge by fellows in this regard and so a growing serious problem. The fact that there are actually less commentaries shows that this problem has obiviously a long history and today you may often hear about certain heros or bad guys in robes, or whole communities in what ever daily media.

For lay people such things appear often pleasing and welcome and certain undertakings like "feed the hungry", "Take side for animals", "Vegerarism", till "pro abortion", social activities, charities... till very sensible political issuse are often used to catch people at large or small to have supporter.

The biggest problem with it is, that all leads astray of the Dhamma, not to speak of the holly life and destructs of course possible way for those using the good name of the tripple Gems proper.

It does good to stay in good distance if seeing that monks engage in wordily issues and politic, how ever pleasing the certain issue might appear for oneself. It's simply not their business and makes the Sangha appear as damgerous today for those, tomorrow for others.

Where ever such involvements appear, be clear that it is a "hot iron"

The link and the commentaries will give certain further ideas, understanding and references to Suttas as well. Since it is such a broad topic, it's not easy to understand, if not understanding the "economy of the Noble Ones" and the purpose of the Sangha and the holly life well, and needs a lot of explainings in such cases.

Feel how ever free to ask or raise a case, since it is good if many monks see that there are actually people who like to support and learn form a group that walk a different way then the world.

A very good explaining of how even you can addopt the ways of the Noble Ones, yet still involved and with certain duties for depending on certain communities, enjoying the benefits from it, is found in the essay "Wisdom over Justice "

In addition, well suggested by Nyom Chris, maybe one of the many Suttas which display the conduct of a Noble One and those following: AN 10.69 . The whole Tipitaka speaks about people who "have gone forth, having left home and it's issues" for a higher, more worthy aim.

Rules as such had to be set out by the Buddha, because more and more "fools" joined the community and was no longer a group of ecxcusively Noble Ones. Everybody who knows todays amouts of rules in certain countries, knows that it is impossible to give for every corrupt minds idea a special rule, and if reading the rule and because it is such a big area this "corrupers of families" the Buddha left much judgement to the acting Sangha itself. (This was added because of the claim in the discussion, that the answere does not exactly match the very specific assumed question.)

Forther reading:

[Q&A] Did the Buddha teach Engaged Buddhism?

Petition from and to the international monastic and lay Sangha

[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]

Anumodana!

[Johann]

As came across:

Prime Minister Hun Sen, appealed to the leadership of the Board of Priests to end the dispute and stop attacking each other on Facebook.

The premier said this on the morning of May 24, during the inauguration of the new location of the Royal University of Fine Arts and also distributed diplomas to 888 students.

“Please end the Facebook attack. All are the high priests and why can you not talk to each other? Please do not give Kona a headache.

Hun Sen wanted good cooperation in the system of leadership of the Board of Priests, because religious institutions are important institutions in bringing society to peace and non-violence. Fresh News

Sadhu

Because it's actually nearlly impossible today to keep people intoxicated with wrong view (in all good religions), like "I have a right" at peace, it's important to protect those who seek refuge into the Gems, especially monks, from such wrong view. Those who stick to their refuge are naturally the last who go out and claim, but know well that "there is given, sacrificed, fruit of good and bad actions, goodness by mother and father (leader, teacher, elder), this world and the next, Devas... rightly gone straight monks and priests, knowing for themself (not all are all equal!).

If having compassion for others, next to seek a way out of the wheel of suffering in this world, one engaged simply in this and only on proper occasion (in no way via mass media or at market places), where people are able to grasp what's beyond the loka-Dhamma of gain and lose, happiness and pain, honor and rebuke, esteem and ugliness.

Yet my person "feears" that the occupation by masss-media and illusion of having control over it had been reached a critical point where only strong restrictions might help, not to speak about the "out of control" because using outside developed means.

My person thinks that old generation could still bend it toward old culture and tradition, while young generation will be incapable to solve the huge dangers all around in a world at war since over one year.

May those still bound on their fathers and leaders, common society, listen to them and let them do the best possible,

and may those having left toward society leading toward hiigher worlds and beyond, simply listen to their elders, leader, the Gems, while being clear that receiving goodness and alms from those seeking to harvest in the common world.

Like it is improper to bring worldly affairs into monasteries and groups after higher, it's total improper to use the Dhamma-Vinaya for gains and to win over others outside the Wat (Vatta => custom of the Noble ones, duty).

In this manner Atma thinks it's the best for many who did a lot of sacrifices to concentrate on the Brahma-Vihars, not those in the sensual world and do simply much of "May all find the way toward long lasting happines, by their own right choices, with ease." and simply remind "If the birds (family, nation) are not in unity, the hunter has an ease to catch them, alone incapable to lift the net".

That being the reasonto avoid conflicts of being deprived from essential means, there is the old culture to give everybody a Kromar (garment to cover ugly parts, to clean oneself, to protect from touches on the skin) as there is common being who does not love him/herself most. Knowing so, one does not wish others to be harmed.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

sut.an.07.023 | ភាគទី ៤៧

(៣. បឋមសត្តកសុត្តំ)

[២១] សម័យមួយ ព្រះដ៏មានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់គង់លើភ្នំគិជ្ឈកូដ ជិតក្រុងរាជគ្រឹះ។ ព្រះដ៏មានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់ត្រាស់ហៅភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយមក ក្នុងទីនោះថា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ តថាគតនឹងសំដែងអបរិហានិយធម៌ ទាំង ៧ ដល់អ្នកទាំងឡាយ អ្នកទាំងឡាយ ចូរប្រុងស្តាប់ នូវភាសិតនោះ ចូរធ្វើទុកក្នុងចិត្តឲ្យជាក់ច្បាស់ចុះ តថាគតនឹងសំដែងប្រាប់។ ភិក្ខុទាំងនោះ ក៏ទទួលព្រះបន្ទូលព្រះដ៏មានព្រះភាគថា ព្រះករុណា ព្រះអង្គ។ ព្រះដ៏មានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់ត្រាស់ថា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ ចុះអបរិហានិយធម៌ ទាំង៧ តើអ្វីខ្លះ។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុ នឹងប្រជុំគ្នារឿយ ៗ ប្រជុំគ្នាដោយច្រើន អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យមិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុ នឹងព្រមព្រៀងគ្នាប្រជុំ ព្រមព្រៀងគ្នាលើកប្រជុំ ព្រមព្រៀងគ្នាធ្វើកិច្ចរបស់សង្ឃ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុ នឹងមិនបញ្ញត្តសិក្ខាបទ ដែលតថាគតមិនបានបញ្ញត្តហើយ មិនដកសិក្ខាបទ ដែលតថាគតបញ្ញត្តរួចហើយ កាន់តាម ប្រព្រឹត្តតាមសិក្ខាបទ ដែលតថាគតបញ្ញត្តហើយយ៉ាងណា អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុនឹងធ្វើសក្ការៈ គោរព រាប់អាន បូជាពួកភិក្ខុ ជាថេរៈអ្នកដឹងរាត្រីច្រើន បួសយូរ ជាបិតានៃសង្ឃ ជាបរិនាយករបស់សង្ឃ ជាអ្នកណែនាំសង្ឃ ទាំងសំគាល់ពាក្យ ដែលគួរស្តាប់ របស់ភិក្ខុជាថេរៈទាំងនោះ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុនឹងមិនលុះក្នុងអំណាចតណ្ហា ជាធម្មជាតិនាំសត្វទៅក្នុងភពថ្មីទៀត ដែលកើតឡើងហើយ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាល ភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុ នឹងមានសេចក្តីប្រាថ្នា ក្នុងសេនាសនៈទាំងឡាយ ដែលតាំងនៅក្នុងព្រៃ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើពួកភិក្ខុ នឹងប្រុងស្មារតីក្នុងខ្លួនថា ធ្វើម្តេចហ្ន៎ ពួកសព្រហ្មចារី មានសីល ជាទីស្រឡាញ់ ដែលមិនទាន់មកដល់ ក៏សូមឲ្យនិមន្តមក ពួកសព្រហ្មចារី មានសីលជា ទីស្រឡាញ់ ដែលមកដល់ហើយ ក៏សូមឲ្យនៅសប្បាយ ដូច្នេះ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ បើអបរិហានិយធម៌ ទាំង ៧ នេះ តាំងនៅក្នុងភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ ឬថាភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ នឹងប្រតិបត្តិ ក្នុងអបរិហានិយធម៌ ទាំង ៧ យ៉ាងនេះ អស់កាលត្រឹមណា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ សេចក្តីចំរើន តែងមានប្រាកដ ដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ សេចក្តីសាបសូន្យ មិនមានឡើយ (អស់កាលត្រឹមណោះ) ១។


Bhikkhu-aparihaniya Sutta: Conditions for No Decline Among the Monks

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Rajagaha, on Vulture Peak Mountain. There he addressed the monks: "Monks, I will teach you the seven conditions that lead to no decline. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"Yes, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said: "And which seven are the conditions that lead to no decline?

[1] "As long as the monks meet often, meet a great deal, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[2] "As long as the monks meet in harmony, adjourn from their meetings in harmony, and conduct Sangha business in harmony, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[3] "As long as the monks neither decree what has been undecreed nor repeal what has been decreed, but practice undertaking the training rules as they have been decreed, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[4] "As long as the monks honor, respect, venerate, and do homage to the elder monks — those with seniority who have long been ordained, the fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha — regarding them as worth listening to, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[5] "As long as the monks do not submit to the power of any arisen craving that leads to further becoming, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[6] "As long as the monks see their own benefit in wilderness dwellings, their growth can be expected, not their decline.

[7] "As long as the monks each keep firmly in mind: 'If there are any well-behaved fellow followers of the chaste life who have yet to come, may they come; and may the well-behaved fellow-followers of the chaste life who have come live in comfort,' their growth can be expected, not their decline.

"As long as the monks remain steadfast in these seven conditions, and as long as these seven conditions endure among the monks, the monks' growth can be expected, not their decline."

Quote from: https://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.021.than_en.html https://sangham.net/km/tipitaka/sut/an/07/sut.an.07.023