April
21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Opinion,
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By U Aung
Mein, Guest Columnist (Editing done by Eugene
Yeo)
Introduction
The recent Ren Ci
fiasco has thrown up a series of disturbing questions about the
handling and use of money by Buddhist monks or Bhikkhus.
In an article
published on The Sunday Times (read article here),
Ming Yi defended his substantial expenditures on the grounds that
we are now living in the modern world.
He said: “A lot of
religious people, not only myself, are very different
now.”
Is it morally
correct for Buddhist monks to spend money given to them by the
laity on luxurious items?
To answer the above
question, we must first acquire some basic understanding on the
history and practice of Buddhism.
Two schools
of Buddhism – Theravada and Mahayana
Buddhism was founded
by the Indian prince Siddhartha in the 6th century BCE. after which
he became known as the “Buddha” or enlightened one.
There are two major
schools of Buddhism today – Theravada (School of the Elders) and
Mahayana (School of Greater Vehicle) from which Ming Yi belonged
to.
Though both schools
believe in the common Buddhist tenets of the Three Dukkhas
(suffering), Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to
Enlightenment, they have different regulations pertaining to
monastic practices of Vinaya.
The precise origins
of Mahayana Buddhism are something of a mystery. The historical
record shows it emerging as a separate school from Theravada during
the 1st century BCE.
Some scholars have
suggested that Mahayana is an offspring of Mahasanghika, a
now-extinct Buddhist sect formed about 320 BCE after the Second
Buddhist Council which led to the first great Schism of Buddhism
(read more here)
The Theravada school
subsequently established itself in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from
which it is spread to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and
Indonesia by Buddhist missonaries while the Mahayana became popular
in northern Indian, Kashmir, Afghanistan and subsequently China,
Korea, Vietnam, Japan and lastly Tibet where its amalgation with
the local Bon religion led to the emergence of an unique sect
– the Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism.
In Singapore, the
majority of Buddhists still belong to the Mahayana school
especially the elder generation though there is an increasing
interest from the younger generation in the Theravada school of
late.
The
Patimokkha (monastic code) according to the Theravada
school of
Buddhism
Under the Theravada
tradition, fully ordained Bhikkhus have to observe 221 precepts or
training rules while novice monks or Samaneras have to keep 10
basic precepts.
One of these
precepts explicitly forbids both Bhikkhus and Samaneras to
accept or hoard money:
“Jatarupa-rajata-patiggahana
veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami (I undertake the precept
to refrain from accepting gold and silver)”
It is also an
offence for Bhikkhus to “pick up” or “consent to the deposit of
gold or silver (money)”
“Should any
bhikkhu take gold and silver, or have it taken, or consent to its
being deposited (near him), it is to be forfeited and
confessed.”(Nis. Paac. 18; BMC
p.214)
“Should any
bhikkhu pick up, or cause to be picked up or consent to the deposit
of gold or silver, this entails Confession with Forfeiture.”
(Nis. Paac. 18; Paat. 1966 Ed.
p.42)
“A monk, who
accepts gold or money or gets another to accept for him, or
acquiesces in its being put near him, commits [an offence requiring
Confession with Forfeiture.]” (Nis. Paac. 18;
BBC p.116)
“If a bhikkhu
himself receives gold and silver (money) or gets someone else to
receive it, or if he is glad about money that is being kept for
him, it is [an offence of Confession with
Forfeiture.]“(Nis. Paac. 18; Nv
p.11)
Bhikkhus are only
allowed to keep four basic requisites of robes, shelter, food and
medicines to maintain their physical bodies for the purpose of
practising meditation with the eventual aim of freeing oneself from
all defilements.
All Bhikkhus are to
recite the reflections on the four requisites daily:
“Reflecting
wisely I wear the robe, only to protect myself from cold, heat,
gadflies, mosquitoes, wind and sun and creeping things and also for
the purpose of covering the aprts of the body that cause
shame.”
“Reflecting
wisely I use almsfood not for play, not for pride, not for beauty,
not for fattening, but merely for the sustenance and continuance of
this body; to cease discomfort; and to be able to practice the holy
life, thinking “Thus I will destory old feelings (of hunger) and
not create new feelings (from overeating). I will maintain myself,
be blameless and live in comfort.”
“Reflecting
wisely I make use of dwellings, only to protect myself from cold,
heat, gadfiles, mosquitoes, wind and sun and creeping things; and
as a protecction from the perils of weather conditions; and for the
joy of seclusion.”
“Reflecting
wisely I make use of medicinal requisites that are for curing the
sick, only to counteract any afflicting feelings (of illness) that
have risen and for maximum freedom from disease.”
For laypeople:
“A lay-person should never offer money directly to a bhikkhu…
even if it is placed inside an envelope or together with other
requisites. They should either deposit the money with the monastery
steward, put it in a donation-box or into the monastery bank
account.”
Every monastery will
have a lay attendant or kappiya who is in charge of handling the
finances of the Bhikkhus and Samaneras and so technically speaking,
they do not possess any monies in their names.
Keeping the
precepts in the modern world
Some had argued for
the relaxation of the rules governing the use of money by Bhikkhus
on the grounds of inconvenience.
It is my personal
opinion that the precepts left behind by the Lord Buddha should be
adhered to as closely and strictly as possible.
There are many
Bhikkhus who live within their means without possessing a single
cent and still able to travel extensively over the world to teach
the Dhamma (Buddha’s teaching).
Bhikkhus should bear
in mind aways that the respect accorded to them by the laity is not
because of the saffron robes they don, but due to the reverence
they have towards the Buddha and the Dhamma which he left behind
for us.
Let us bear in mind
the last exhortation of the Lord Buddha before he passed away into
Parinibbana:
“Transient
are all compounded things. Strive with
diligence.”