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Interesting brief article on Thai monks...self-explanatory
vinlyn
Colorado...for now Veteran
The Thai government is setting up a 24 hour hotline where people can report unsavory behavior by Buddhist monks. Sounds as if the Supreme Sangha will further develop behavioral standards. But this is another interesting mix of religion/politics in Thailand....
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Campaign-to-check-on-monks-who-misbehave-30236517.html
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It would be extremely gratifying if it also happened elsewhere, to be honest. (Burma and Sri Lanka spring to mind....)
Thanks, @vinlyn.....
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Thailand is such an "anything goes" place, that I am actually in favor of this.
For some reason, all I can see is a bumpersticker on the monk's back that says, "How's my Dharma?" with a phone number to call and an identifying number. After all, when you call, all you might be able to identify the guy to the official is, "He was bald and wore a robe."
I dislike this 1000%.. because the government gets to decide the " behavioral standards". This "Supreme Sangha should be called in on itself and disbanded lol.
Think about this, 60 years ago monks like Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Chah could of been " called on" for not following what the supreme sangha decided was right.
I definitely have been disappointed by the behavior of many monks in Theravada countries as of late, especially the ones inciting and taking part in violence which lead to murders(which of course is a parajika rule requiring expulsion for life) I'm all for monks being held to task for not following the vinaya, but government(and government monks) should be completely out of it.
@Jayantha I agree, but the long history of Buddhism in the East shows the entire concept of "separation of state and religion" did not exist. This issuing of rules by the rulers is pretty normal for those traditional governments. What's unusual is that the rulers are elected by the people instead of arriving at the head of an army...although some would say the army is still the kingmaker.
And we read in the history books time and again the problems mixing their secular and religious systems causes.
Jayantha, I understand your POV, but you are -- IMHO -- trying to place a western template on an eastern situation.
It's very much like something I began to realize about Thailand quite a few years ago -- a terrible/dysfunctional democracy is not necessarily the best form of government.
perhaps I am, I am also most likely idealizing the vinaya and "how a monk should be" from the ancient times and buddha's teaching, all of which of course leads to my own suffering and egoistic judgmental thoughts, but alas I am human and have a lot yet to learn about the monastic life.
And, btw, I'm not saying there is only one right viewpoint here. For me it is the difference between the way it should be, and the way it perhaps needs to be at this point in time at that location.
Not even that. Here is the US we regularly punish members of the Christian Clergy who "misbehave" via secular laws.
Where secular law doesn't apply actions within the church also serve to punish .
Even in the Buddhist world, monks and lay teachers are regularly punished by their respecytive sanghas. To date there hasn't been much to apply secular laws, but give it time.
It's not perfect, of course. Sometimes the bad guys get away with it. On the other hand what system of laws is that perfect?