Fraud monks and devaluation of renunciation principle
There seems to be some fad these days in which buddhism has got a rarefied appeal specially in western nations whereby wearing robes makes one spiritual enough regardless of the fact whether they even believe in renunciation (nekkhamma)
Lots of so called monks even start a website dhamma in which they solicit for cash donation which is forbidden in vinaya ( reasons which I shall explain) as well as inviting others to come join them in retreat again a rubbish notion as nowhere in pali texts buddha went out in villages exhorting others to join him or visit him in one of his vassas ( rainy retreat).
These monks should be known as puthujjana bhikkus or worldly bhikkus, as such was the case as well during time when buddha was preaching.A late Pitaka book has even the coined term " average-good-monk " (puthujjana-kalyanaka- bhikkhu), the first adjective having been earlier applied only to the common man of the world.
Buddha also talked about the difference between Puthujjana bhikkhus who are mere worldlings and the Sotapanna(s) who are the "Stream-Entrants".
Also,Lokavipatti Sutta, the Buddha says that the puthujjana or "worldling" is caught in lokadhamma or worldly dhamma while the ariyasavaka or "noble follower" of the Buddha is not.
There was tendency in buddhism in which bhikkus were either accepting money,gold,silver etc..since there was tendency for some zealot laypeople to give that to them in trust that it is about punya-karma ie merit work.
acceptance of this money violates the Vinaya rule Rupiya-sikkhapada. It lays down that a bhikkhu should neither accept, nor cause another to accept, nor allow to deposit for him any money (gold or Silver) ..(note rupiya is ancient sankrit term from which modern term rupee is derived). Primarily it would in modern term means currency of any nation ie monetary unit.
in fact also vinaya suggests that some Bhikkhu is to be formally appointed 'money-remover' he is to go and throw it away somewhere or give it to some layperson who deserves it.
such violations come under the offence known as Nissaggiya-Pacittiya 19, which prohibits monks from engaging in "various types of monetary exchange". A confession is necessary which asks for pardon/repentance if those codes are violated
Yo pana bhikkhu nanappakarakam rupiyasam-voharam samapajjeyya nissaggiyam pacittiyam (Pali version, Nissaggiya Pacittiya XIX).
( note the term Nanappakarakam ie various / different and rupiysama voharam ie possessing rupiyam ( ancient name for currency in india))
So any website which has some bhikku asking for seeing donations on paypal or such avenues as well as even retreats which has donation box and asks money is in complete disregard of such prohibitions, Dhamma isnt about engaging in business practices , if one is interested in transacting money then its pointless to even engage in dhamma in garb of being some monk
Instead of having a fixed permanent address ,buddha in true tradition of pabbaja or wanderer kept travelling most of his life and only during rainy season he was staying at a fixed place or address for reasons well documented.
There would be no reference in buddhist text regarding buddha asking the villagers to join him during such rainy retreat so as to make them 'discover dhamma' and feel 'relaxed'.
On the contrary it was laypeople who asked for buddha to visit them for food if it was suitable for him ,and in most cases buddha obliged.A wanderer isnt out there to spread his teachings so as to make it sound like some trivial pursuit or a zealot proselytization business.
Most of buddhist core philosophy was always discussed with wandering monks of other tradition as such was norm of ancient India, it was a quest to arrive at truth and there was lots of such frequent dialogue between different sects/groups most of them being wandering brahmins/jainas/ajivikas/skeptics etc
due to custom of staying at one particular place for a specific period, ultimately led to the foundation of future Samgharamas and Viharas. From cullavagga one learns that Buddha, at the request of a setthi (a rich merchant) of Rajagraha allowed the following abodes for the monks, vihara, addhayogas, pasadas, hammiyas and guhas.
Buddha who ruled: "I allow you, O Bhikkhus, abodes of five kinds (Pancha lendni)-Viharas, Addhayogas ... Hammiyas or Harmyas (ie stone houses with a flat roof), and Guhas or caves" Although the first sangha appeared, yet there was, at that period, no Vihara or Monastery to accommodate them.So monastic buddhism is but a late matured phase of sedentary buddhsm where the tradition of samana or striving by wandering and seeking alms seems to have forgotten
Lots of so called monks even start a website dhamma in which they solicit for cash donation which is forbidden in vinaya ( reasons which I shall explain) as well as inviting others to come join them in retreat again a rubbish notion as nowhere in pali texts buddha went out in villages exhorting others to join him or visit him in one of his vassas ( rainy retreat).
These monks should be known as puthujjana bhikkus or worldly bhikkus, as such was the case as well during time when buddha was preaching.A late Pitaka book has even the coined term " average-good-monk " (puthujjana-
Also,Lokavipatti Sutta, the Buddha says that the puthujjana or "worldling" is caught in lokadhamma or worldly dhamma while the ariyasavaka or "noble follower" of the Buddha is not.
There was tendency in buddhism in which bhikkus were either accepting money,gold,silver etc..since there was tendency for some zealot laypeople to give that to them in trust that it is about punya-karma ie merit work.
acceptance of this money violates the Vinaya rule Rupiya-
in fact also vinaya suggests that some Bhikkhu is to be formally appointed 'money-remover' he is to go and throw it away somewhere or give it to some layperson who deserves it.
such violations come under the offence known as Nissaggiya-Pacittiya 19, which prohibits monks from engaging in "various types of monetary exchange". A confession is necessary which asks for pardon/repentance if those codes are violated
Yo pana bhikkhu nanappakarakam rupiyasam-voharam samapajjeyya nissaggiyam pacittiyam (Pali version, Nissaggiya Pacittiya XIX).
( note the term Nanappakarakam ie various / different and rupiysama voharam ie possessing rupiyam ( ancient name for currency in india))
So any website which has some bhikku asking for seeing donations on paypal or such avenues as well as even retreats which has donation box and asks money is in complete disregard of such prohibitions, Dhamma isnt about engaging in business practices , if one is interested in transacting money then its pointless to even engage in dhamma in garb of being some monk
Instead of having a fixed permanent address ,buddha in true tradition of pabbaja or wanderer kept travelling most of his life and only during rainy season he was staying at a fixed place or address for reasons well documented.
There would be no reference in buddhist text regarding buddha asking the villagers to join him during such rainy retreat so as to make them 'discover dhamma' and feel 'relaxed'.
On the contrary it was laypeople who asked for buddha to visit them for food if it was suitable for him ,and in most cases buddha obliged.A wanderer isnt out there to spread his teachings so as to make it sound like some trivial pursuit or a zealot proselytization business.
Most of buddhist core philosophy was always discussed with wandering monks of other tradition as such was norm of ancient India, it was a quest to arrive at truth and there was lots of such frequent dialogue between different sects/groups most of them being wandering brahmins/jainas/ajivikas/skeptics etc
due to custom of staying at one particular place for a specific period, ultimately led to the foundation of future Samgharamas and Viharas. From cullavagga one learns that Buddha, at the request of a setthi (a rich merchant) of Rajagraha allowed the following abodes for the monks, vihara, addhayogas, pasadas, hammiyas and guhas.
Buddha who ruled: "I allow you, O Bhikkhus, abodes of five kinds (Pancha lendni)
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