Buddhist Priest, and the Law- How to reconcile the two

by Charles.S.Perera

(September 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) If this confrontation between the Buddhsit Priests and the Law were to continue, we are in to see more of disrespect towards the Buddhists Priest and their being taken into courts even in handcuffs and treated like ordinary miscreants. This should not be allowed to happen and even at this stage the Buddhist hierarchy, and the Buddhist laity should wake up to the danger facing the Buddhist Priest hood.

At the beginning the Buddha did not see the necessity to set up rules to be followed by his disciples, as the early disciples were well disciplined persons. But later on as the numbers begin to grow and some individuals of lesser personal integrity joined the order the Buddha found it necessary to set up rules. He laid down rules as and when it was brought to his notice that a disciple had committed an act not in keeping with his position as one who has given up the life of a house holder, to follow the path of Dhamma.

The rules of discipline( Vinaya),were necessary to differentiate a disciple, from a lay person. These rules were of two different categories, one was the breach of worldly moral conduct (lokavajja), which are the breach of conduct expected by the society from, the disciples and the ordinary laymen. The other was the breach of conduct, and practices observed as a Monks (Pannatti Vajja). At the passing away ( parinibbana) of the Buddha he had laid down 227 disciplinary rules to be observed by a disciple –a Buddhist Priest.

The rules were set up by the Buddha about 2500 years ago, and the development of the society since then may make the observance of some of the rules difficult, and may seem redundant. Even though the Buddha before his passing away (parinibbana) had said that some minor rules may be amended, he did not specify which were the minor rules. Therefore, in this doubt none of the rules have been removed from the 227 Vinaya or Disciplinary Rules laid down by the Buddha.

If any of the rules are to be expunged for their difficulty to be observed in a modern developed society, one cannot ascertain where such removal or amendment of rules will end. Therefore, it is essential to insist that the monks entering the order should keep the 227 disciplinary rules. It is not the greater number of monks that would make Buddhism a more venerated, and a sought after doctrine. Discipline is more important to maintain the sanctity of the religion.

As discipline among the young Buddhist Priests is fast deteriorating, corrective action should be taken without dillydallying for the continued existence of the Buddha Sasana in its venerated pristine glory. The dangerous lack of discipline among the younger generation of Buddhist Priests came with the abandonment of the Pirivena system of education for the Buddhist Priests, and the establishment of University System.

The Universities have become the breeding ground of undisciplined Buddhist Priests. The continuing of the University system for the Buddhist Priests will lead to further decline of discipline. The disciplined Sangha, will discipline the people. This would change the attitudes of officials of the government departments, who will treat the people with respect, preserving the dignity of the Monks, as well as the Priests of other faiths.

This would be the means for the Buddhist Priest to be treated with dignity, by the officers in charge of enforcement of the Law.

The Curriculums selected by Monks in the Universities are more often worldly subjects, that have no relation to the call for which they had been ordained as Buddhist Priests. There are Buddhist Priests who apply for driving licences. Others who want to be lawyers, Administrators , Trade Union leaders, teachers in Schools. These are not vocations suitable for a Buddhist Priest. This trend of seeking professional posts in the Government by Buddhist Priests should be stopped, and they should instead be trained to be "Buddhists Priests"

The Buddhist hierarchy, the lay Buddhist scholars, and the intellectuals should get together to reorganise the Buddha Sasana, beginning by setting up Pirivena education system for Monks. They should then bring back the old image of the Buddhist Priest, heads and beards well shaven, wearing appropriate clean robes, with a disciplined comportment.

The Venerable Mahanayaka Theros should insist on purity of virtue (seelavisuddhi) of the Monks, by making them follow:

Patimokkha Sila -- The Fundamental Moral Code (major offenses related to immoral, cruel, harmful and selfish activities.)

Indriyasamvara Sila -- Morality pertaining to sense-restraint.

Ajivaparisuddhi Sila -- Morality pertaining to purity of livelihood.

Paccayasannissita Sila -- Morality pertaining to the use of requisites pertaining to life.

Every Buddhist Temple should have a number of meditation huts (kuti), and make meditation part of the daily activity of all Priests in the Temple. They should memorise the Buddhist prayers and protective chants, as in the old days, so that the sounds that come from the temples would not be blaring of pirith through loudspeaker systems, but the sound of the young and senior priests chanting Pirith and Buddhist prayers.

The alms rounds are necessary to bring the priest closer to the laymen, therefore, it should be reinstituted. If the monks do not follow the Vinaya Rules, they should be disrobed.

It is essential to reorganise, and revitalise the Order of the Sangha, and the Buddhist ceremonies, and practices. This would bring the people and the Temple closer, which would revitalise the Sinhala Buddhist Culture, which would in turn, bring about social changes and enhance relations with the people of other faiths, to build unity, peace and harmony in Sri Lanka for the benefit of ourselves, and the generations to follow. - Sri Lanka Guardian