The process of suspend disputes as they appear in the Vinaya Pitaka

Abstract

This academic article aims to study the process of resolving disputes in the Vinaya Pitaka. The results of the study found that the process of resolving disputes has 4 components: 1) Accusation: The accused monk must have the qualities of being virtuous or well-behaved, and have the qualities of speaking, i.e. speaking the truth, speaking politely, and speaking with good intentions. The defendant or the offender is classified according to the type of nikhaka, such as causing a quarrel, causing a scandal, or harming the family, etc., and is not a person who has committed a parajika offense. 2) Punishment of the offender is classified according to the type of nikhaka, as follows: 1) Tacchaniyakamma: reprimanding and warning, 2) Niyasakamma: demoting and demotion, 3) Pabbachaniyakamma: expulsion from the group, 4) Patisaraniyakamma: making the monk who insulted the laity apologize to the laity, 5) Ukkhepaniyakamma: not associating (raising the vows), 6) Tassapāpiyakamma, 7) Pakasaniyakamma-announcing to the Buddhist community about a monk’s behavior that will bring disrepute to the community, 8) Pattanikutchanakamma-boycotting laypeople who wish ill of a monk, 9) Brahmadhandakamma-punishing those who are difficult to teach by not associating with them. The steps and methods for acquitting oneself are as follows: 1) The monk who has been under disciplinary punishment goes to the Sangha and asks the Sangha to cease the karma for him 3 times, 2) The wise monk announces to the Sangha by means of a motion for the fourth offense that the monk has turned over a new leaf and comes to ask the Sangha to cease the karma for him, 3) The wise monk chants the karma vāja 3 times and proposes that the Sangha resolve to cease the karma, 4) The wise monk chants for the Sangha’s resolution to cease the karma. As for the Patisaraniyakamma, the monk must first apologize to the laity, and then the Sangha will stop the karma.