Australian Sangha Association statement
Australian Sangha Association statement regarding protests at the teachings of HH the Dalai Lama
The ASA wishes to express its dismay at the conduct of robed members of the New Kadampa Tradition, Western Shugden Society and associated organizations during the teachings given by HH the Dalai Lama on 11-15 June 2008 at Olympic Stadium, Sydney, Australia.
The Dalai Lama’s teachings were attended by over 6000 people who came to be inspired by the peaceful and harmonious message of Buddhism. Instead they were met by a large, organized group of protesters dressed in monastic robes shouting slogans. Noisy public demonstrations such as these are not appropriate behaviour for monks or nuns and have brought Buddhism in this country into disrepute.
The ASA recognizes there is a difference of opinion with the Dalai Lama on various issues. It is the right of NKT and WSS members to disagree with the Dalai Lama’s opinions but their disagreement should be expressed in a peaceful, respectful and reasonable manner.
Therefore, in the spirit of Dharma and in accordance with Buddhist principles the ASA would encourage the NKT and WSS protesters to request forgiveness from the Dalai Lama for their behaviour and in future to conduct themselves with humility and restraint.
For more see: Australian Sangha Association Statement by ASA
NKT monks and nuns are authentic and try to show a good and practical example of service, celibacy and humility for our modern world. Buddha Shakyamuni himself said that the Vinaya should be practiced in accordance with what is most acceptable for society. The NKT is following this advice from Buddha.
NKT monks and nuns practice everything that a fully ordained monk or nun in Buddha’s tradition would practice, minus the cultural rules that make benefiting others in the West in these modern times almost impossible. Nowadays, most Western monks and nuns are not living in actual monasteries but are out and about helping living beings.
In response to some NKT monks and nuns joining the Western Shugden Society (WSS) to protest against the Dalai Lama’s political ban of the worship of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden, the Australian Sangha Association (ASA) recently delivered a statement to say that NKT monks and nuns are not authentic. It is strange that they did not issue similar statements about other any other monastic tradition when Buddhist monks protested in Tibet, Burma, Vietnam, Korea or Cambodia! Their statement stems from their allegiance to the Dalai Lama (which is clear from their website) and is more politically than spiritually motivated.
You can read a direct reply to their statement here, clarifying the spiritual reasons for the authenticity of NKT Buddhist monks and nuns.
There are eight different types of Pratimoksha vows:
(1) Nyennä vows – one-day ordination vows
(2) Genyenma vows – vows of a laywoman
(3) Genyenpa vows – vows of a layman
(4) Getsulma vows – vows of a novice nun
(5) Getsulpa vows – vows of a novice monk
(6) Gelobma vows – preliminary vows taken before becoming a fully ordained nun
(7) Gelongma vows – vows of a fully ordained nun
(8) Gelongpa vows – vows of a fully ordained monk
In Tibetan Buddhism, the lineages of both the Gelobma and the Gelongma (nos. 6 and 7 of the Pratimoksha vows) have ceased and disappeared. Therefore, these two ordinations no longer exist.
Nowadays, in Tibetan Buddhism, the Gelongpa vows (no. 8) mainly exist in name only. Those with this ordination hold the name “Gelong”, seeming or pretending to hold this high level of vows; but in truth it is very difficult to find a Tibetan Gelong who understands the real meaning of the 253 vows.
Although Tibetan Getsul ordained people promise to keep 36 vows, in practice many of these are broken from the day the vows are taken.
We should appreciate that the NKT is acting honestly, in accordance with this reality, following the truth. They are not pretending to be lofty or important simply by collecting a large number of vows that are subsequently not possible for a modern-day practitioner to keep.
Buddha Shakyamuni himself said that the Vinaya should be practiced in accordance with what is most acceptable for society. The NKT is following this advice from Buddha.
Why have the ASA delivered such a misleading and injurious statement?
They state in their website: “The ASA was set up specifically to support dialogue and understanding among monastics of different traditions”, yet they have excluded 700 NKT monks and nuns from their Sangha directory without any dialogue and with a great deal of misunderstanding. NKT monks and nuns in Australia and elsewhere sincerely try to keep a pure celibate lifestyle motivated by renunciation and compassion, and have dedicated their lives to helping others through Buddha’s teachings, so why would the ASA defame and ostracize them in this way?
The “Council of Elders” who comprise the spiritual guidance of the ASA currently consists of seven monks and two nuns, two of whom are Tibetan Buddhists: Tenzin Tsapel and Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe. Tenzin Tsapel is a teacher with the FPMT and therefore naturally biased against the NKT. See Behind the Lies for the FPMT’s campaign against the NKT. Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe is a Sakya teacher. The current head of the Sakya school (Sakya Trizin) is close to the 14th Dalai Lama and speaks out against Dorje Shugden in the documentary on the Dalai Lama’s own website. Clearly Ngawang Dhamchoe is biased against the NKT for their practice of Dorje Shugden. The other members of the council of elders seem to be influenced in their harsh judgment by the Dalai Lama’s statements and behavior around the issue of Dorje Shugden; so the statement of the ASA clearly has at least some political motivations behind it.
This mixture of religion and politics seems to be causing the degeneration of pure Buddhadharma and harmony between traditions far more effectively than any peaceful democratic protests asking for religious freedom could ever do. A statement like this indicates why the Western Shugden Society needs to keep demonstrating against the Dalai Lama to bring the world’s attention to this deteriorating situation.
comment by TP:
The text above is the point of view hold by the New Kadampa Tradition regarding NKT-ordination.
This is the point of view of the Australian Sangha Association (ASA):
Who is the ASA?
The Australian Sangha Association is a member of the Federation of Australian Buddhist councils, made up of properly ordained monks and nuns, selected by their peers to represent their respective traditions.
The mission statement of ASA
ASA aims to: Represent ordained Buddhists in Australia · Promote harmony among Buddhist traditions · Educate and inform for the healthy growth of Buddhism.
The view of ASA regarding NKT-ordination:
»According to our information the robed members of this group have not taken monastic vows as defined by the Vinaya which, as I am sure you know, is the collection of teachings by the Buddha that articulate the moral discipline to be followed by the ordained community.
The Sangha is a 2500 year old institution which has always kept the Vinaya rules as its core practice. It is this moral code which is the foundation of Buddhist monasticism and adherence to it is what defines a person as a Buddhist monk or nun. It is the most important thing that we as monastics from different traditions have in common and is what enables us to come together under the auspices of the WBSC and ASA to celebrate our shared commitment to the Three Jewels.
Members of the NKT who wear robes do not follow this tradition. They have taken 5 precepts including a vow of celibacy and make 5 additional promises to behave in a manner consistent with Dharma and spiritual practice. This is indeed an admirable and praiseworthy commitment and we do not wish to imply that such practitioners are anything other than sincere and genuine in their devotion to the path. However it must be emphasised that this is not a monastic ordination according to the teachings of Buddha.
These precepts are said by their teacher Kelsang Gyatso to derive from the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and he clearly states they are different from those found in the Vinaya. According to him a monk or a nun becomes a Bhikhu or Bhikhuni ‘merely by holding these ten vows of ordination and developing a strong realisation of renunciation that is ever present in the mind.’
This definition has nothing in common with the traditionally accepted understanding of ordination and confuses the notion of a Bhikhu or Bhikhuni in the spiritual and conventional sense. From earliest times a ‘true Bhikhu’ has been one who realised the Dharma. However all Buddhist traditions, while fully understanding this, have always insisted on the necessity for the conventional Sangha to hold Vinaya vows properly received in accordance with the prescribed rituals.
The opinion of the ASA is that for NKT members to represent themselves to the public as authentic Buddhist monks and nuns is wrong and misleading.
One of the principal aims of the ASA is to help ensure the integrity and good reputation of Buddhism in general and the Sangha community in particular. We ourselves are not sure how to respond to this challenge but have decided to share our concerns with you. If you have some suggestions we would welcome your input. For now we feel that bringing this issue to the attention of the public is the best thing we can do.«
This is the point of view which I, Gelong Tenzin Peljor, hold regarding NKT-ordination after thoroughly checking it:
»NKT monks and nuns, who were ordained by Kelsang Gyatso and bear his name Kelsang, are not ‘real’ Buddhist monks and nuns. They are neither novice Buddhist monks or nuns (Tib. Getsul / Getsulma) nor fully ordained Buddhist monks or nuns Tib. Gelong / Gelongma). Due to this fact they are not members of the Buddhist order of monks and nuns according to the Vinaya. The Vinaya (code of conduct for Buddhist monks and nuns) with its democratic basis and rules, established by the Buddha, is not active in the NKT. The ordination of the NKT can be seen as a kind of the so-called “Rabjung-ordination”. This kind of ordination makes the person who receives it to an “intermediate ordained one”, a phrase which “refers to someone who is preparing to become a Getsul” (novice). Such a person is neither a lay person nor an ordained person. Rabjungs can wear the monastic robes but not the yellow upper robe. Because they do not belong to the Buddhist monastic order they are not allowed to attend the fortnightly Purification Ritual (Tib. Sojong) or to act as members of, or in the name of the Buddhist monastic order. In the Indian-Tibetan ordination tradition (Mulasarvastavada lineage) the Rabjung ordination is given as an intermediate ordination to someone who aspires to become a monk or nun. The purpose of this intermediate ordination is to allow the trainee to approach the lifestyle of a monk or nun before the trainee eventually becomes a novice or a fully ordained one. Usually this kind of Rabjung ordination is given to Tibetans from an early age until they reach adulthood when they are free to decide whether to follow the life of a monk.
Geshe Kelsang actively discourages his followers to take the actual ordination (Getsul/Gelong) claiming the NKT ordination is sufficient and can be understood as being in line with explanations of Geshe Potowa. His views, as expressed in his Ordination Talk, are incorrect. Some of the views of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso regarding NKT-ordination have already been discussed at E-Sangha (see post # 712). Neither the Vinaya is active in NKT nor are there the three monastic activities.«
The opinion of the Australian Sangha Association “that for NKT members to represent themselves to the public as authentic Buddhist monks and nuns is wrong and misleading.” I share and support fully.
Correct Sources regarding Ordination in the Mulasarvastavadin Lineage
There are eight types of Pratimoksha vows:
The three set of Householders’ vows (for Lay-Followers)
- Fasting Vows (skt. Upavasa; tib. Nyung ne) – 8 vows
- Laymans’ Vows (skt. Upasaka; tib. Genyen) – 5 vows
- Laywomans’ Vows (skt. Upasika) – 5 vows
The Laymans’ and Laywomans’ Vows
The laywoman and layman Pratimoksha consists of 5 vows. They are also named as The Five Shilas (skt. moral discipline):
(1) to refrain from killing
(2) to refrain from stealing
(3) to refrain from false speech
(4) to refrain from sexual misconduct
(5) to refrain from using intoxicants
One is not obliged to take all five vows. The commentaries describe seven types of lay followers:
1. Promising to keep just one vow
2. Promising to keep certain vows
3. Promising to keep most of them
4. Promising to keep all five
5. Keeping all five and also promising to keep the pure conduct of avoiding sexual contact
6. Keeping all five, pure conduct, and wearing robes with the promise to behave like a monk or a nun
7. Lay follower of mere refuge. This person is unable to keep the vows but he promises to go for refuge to the triple gem until death.
The five set of vows of those gone forth (for Monks and Nuns)
- Male Novices’ Vows (skt. Sramanera, tib. Getsul) – 36 vows
- Female Novices’ Vow (skt. Sramanerika, tib. Getsulma) – 36 vows
- Probationer Nun’s Vows (skt. Siksamana)
- Full Nun’s Vows (skt. Bhikshuni, tib. Gelongma) – 364 vows
- Full Monk’s Vows (skt. Bhikshu, tib. Gelong) – 253 vows
Only fully ordained monks or fully ordained nuns are seen as full members of the Buddhist monastic order. A group of minimum four fully ordained persons is seen as a nominal Sangha. The Vinaya/Pratimoksha proscribes not only the vows but also how to purify faults, how to solve conflicts and it deals with all kinds of situations which can happen in the Monastic Sangha Community, including penalties like expulsion. The study and application of the Vinaya, the first of the three baskets of Buddha’s teachings, is of major importance in all Buddhist schools who follow Buddha Shakyamuni.
Literature Mulasarvasatavadin Lineage
- Novice Vows: Lama Mipham’s commentary to Nagarjunas “Stanzas for a Novice Monk” together with “Essence of the ocean of Vinaya” by Tsongkhapa ISBN 81-86470-15-8 (LTWA India)
- Full Monk Vows: “Advice from Buddha Sahkyamuni” by HH the 14th Dalai Lama, ISBN 81-86470-07-7 (LTWA India)
- Complete Explanation of the Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana Vows: “Buddhist Ethics” (Treasury of Knowledge: Book Five), Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, ISBN 1-55939-191-X, Snow Lion Publications
- Monastic Rites by Geshe Jampa Thegchok, Wisdom Books, ISBN 0-86171-237-4
- Ngari Panchen: Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, Wisdom Publication, ISBN 0-86171-083-5 (Commentary on the free sets of vows by Dudjom Rinpoche)
The two Sanskrit-Lineages
Academic Papers:
- “Buddhist Monastic Discipline: The Sanskrit Pratimokksha Sutras of the Mahasamghikas and Mulasarvastavadins” by Charles S. Prebish, India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1339-1
The complete list of the novice monks’ and novice nuns’ vows by Venerable Bhikshuni Thubten Chodroen and Thich Nhat Hanh: The Sramanera/Sramanerika Precepts
The Essence of the Vinaya Ocean by Je Tsong Khapa
OM. May it be well.
Homage to the Omniscient One.
The means dependent on which one goes
With ease to liberation’s city,
The Sugata’s doctrine’s supreme essence,
Which is known as pratimoksha,
I shall explain in six parts: nature,
Divisions, the recognition of each,
Bases in which it is produced,
Causes of loss, and benefits.
a) Nature
It is, with thought of renunciation
Acting as cause, to turn away
From harm to others and its base.
Our higher and lower schools have two
Modes of assertion: that it has form,
Being karma of body and speech;
Or that it is the constantly coming
Will to abandon, with its seed.
b) Divisions
Pratimoksha is of eight types:
Fasting, layman and laywoman,
Male and female novices,
Nun probationer, full nun, full monk.
The first three are householders’vows,
The last five, vows of those gone forth.
c) The Recognition of Each
c1) Fasting (Upavasa) Vows
Fasting vows are to abandon
Eight things – four roots and four branches.
Incontinence, to take the ungiven,
Killing and false speech are four roots.
Great or high beds, drinking liquor,
Dance, song, garlands and so forth,
And afternoon eating are four branches.
c2) Lay-Followers’ (Upasaka & Upasika) Vows
Vows of lay-followers are to abandon
Killing, theft, lies, sexuall misconduct, and intoxicating drink.
Six lay-followers: those who practise
One, some, most rules, or completely,
The continent, and those of refuge.
They are lay-followers who, in order,
Abandon one, two, three of the four roots,
Sexual misconduct, and incontinence;
Or just of refuge, we assert.
c3) Novices’ (Sramanera & Sramanerika) Vows
Novice vows are to abandon
Ten things – four roots and six branches.
Amusements and adornments, as two;
Three; and accepting gold and silver -
This division makes six branches.
Adding three kinds of falling away -
From making request to one’s preceptor -
Leaving aside householder’s marks,
And wearing the marks of one gone forth -
Thirteen things are to be abandoned.
c4) Probationer Nun’s (Siksamana) Vows
The discipline of a probationer nun
Is, after taking novice vows,
Vow of avoidance – six root rules
And six secondary rules.
Not to go on the road alone,
Not to swim across a river,
Not to touch a male person,
Not to sit with a male alone,
Not to act as go-between,
And not to conceal non-virtue
Are the six root rules of avoidance.
Not to pick up golden treasure,
Not to shave one’s pubic hair,
Not to eat food not received,
Not to eat what has been hoarded,
Not to excrete on green herbage,
Not to dig the soil – these six
Abandonments are the secondary rules.
c5) Full Nun’s (Bhikshuni) Vows
Eight defeats, twenty suspensions,
Thirty-three lapses with forfeiture,
A hundred and eighty simple lapses,
Eleven offences to be confessed
And the hundred and twelve misdeeds
Make three hundred and sixty-four
Things the bhikshuni abandons.
c6) Full Monk’s (Bhikshu) Vows
Four defeats, thirteen suspensions,
Thirty lapses with forfeiture,
Ninety simple lapses, then
Four offences to be confessed
And the hundred and twelve misdeeds -
Added together, two hundred and
Fifty-three things the bhikshu avoids.
Bases in which it is Produced
These eight types of pratimoksha are produced in the bases of men and women of three continents, except Kuru, but not such as eunuchs, hermaphrodites and neuters.
Causes of Loss
Causes of losing vows are two.
Common Causes
Giving back the training, death, two sexes appearing, changing thrice, and cutting one’s roots of virtue are common.
Special Causes
Learning one was not yet twenty, agreeing to serve, and the day’s elapsing are special to, respectively, bhikshus, probationer nuns, and fasters.
Some assert the vows are lost if one commits a root offence or if the holy Dharma vanishes. Vaibhashikas of Kashmir assert one with vows with a root offence is like a rich man with a debt.
Benefits
From keeping these vows, one will gain the temporal fruit, divine or human birth, and the ultimate fruit, the three awakenings. Since this is taught, the energetic always keep the pratimoksha, devotedly striving.
Dedication
By this virtue, may embodied beings throughout their rebirths live in pure conduct.
My opinion
It would be very constructive if NKT tries to be open and tries to understand and to learn from the experienced Elder Ordained Sangha, and can see the ASA statement as an invitation to think about their role as a part of the Buddhist Sangha in the West. In general monks and nuns should take the hints or criticism of elder monks and nuns seriously, this is one of their rules.
I hope the ASA statement doesn’t lead to a new battlefield but to a constructive dialogue. NKT can contact ASA and both can think about how to support NKT nuns and monks to live according to the Vinaya and the Pratimoksha rules. TP
Buddha in the Vinaya Sutra:
“As long as the complete Vinaya, the supreme treasure, abides,
The Lamp of Dharma shall abide.”
See also The Pratimoksha Sutra and The Essence of Vinaya.
Wisdom Buddha
July 23, 2008 at 3:40 pm
A Huge THANK YOU to you, TP, to give us such a informative and neutral, non-bias comment.
om mani padme hum
lhundrup
July 24, 2008 at 1:00 am
I attended the full Sydney teachings. I can say from experience that the never ending ‘DALAI LAMA STOP LYING’ during the teachings was disrupting to concentration and extremely disrespectful.
While I respect their right to be in disagreement, I don’t see what these protests accomplished except tarnishing the good name of Buddhism and incite contempt towards HHDL from Buddhists and non-Buddhists. How is that productive or beneficial? Shugdenpas don’t seem to be acting out of wisdom.
On a side note, when I first arrived at the teachings the protesters hadn’t started getting vocal yet, but instead just held up a myriad of placards and stayed silent. I was impressed with their peaceful approach and felt inclined to even investigate their message further. As soon as they started their ridiculous shouting (including the use of a megaphone) that changed everything. Terrible.
If I could say anything to the Shugdenpas it would be: change your approach, it’s doing more harm than good.
Greg A
August 3, 2008 at 4:27 am