The Buddha, Spiritual

Greetings from the forest at Yarrahappani in NSW, Australia where I have been following developments of the flow on from the bhikkuni ordination in October. (See earlier posting in November).http://sujato.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/where_we_are_now.pdf

I have seen the PDF file of the senior Ajahns of the Ajahn Chah tradition “Where we are now”  –  sadly, I would venture to respond with –  currently, wedged between a rock and a hard place.

There is surely a middle way in this issue.

I carefully read the Ajahns’ 7400 word article in the above PDF file. There is an expression of  a particular range of views of the Vinaya and well worth reading. As far as I understand from my days as a Thai monk in the Theravada tradition, the traditional Vinaya makes clear that the samanera and samaneri  (male and female novices) act as the stepping stone for the full bhikkhu and bhikkhuni ordination. The Vinaya has never regarded the samaneri role as an end in itself.

I believe there is a middle way between strict adherence to a view of the Vinaya as advocated in the article and expulsion of Ajahn Bramhs, Ajahn Sujato and their branch monasteries.  The senior Ajahns could recommend the siladhara ordinations while allowing siladharas  ready and wishing to take up bhikkhuni ordination, to go to the monastery in Perth for full ordination.

All the other monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition could keep to the adoption of the siladhara model – conceived within the Theravada tradition.  Each monastery takes responsibility for its direction. I believe the Thai religious authorities need to be approached to see whether they would accept such a view to meet the needs and the aspirations of different women and different monasteries. I believe they would treat this conciliatory course as a satisfactory understanding.

Perhaps this approach could be mentioned to Ajahn Sumedho when seniors in the Dharma present the petition, the statement of around 12 Australian teachers and myself of Insight Meditation on the bhikkhuni ordination and other statements. There is a genuine need for some reconciliation to find a meeting point between traditional and contemporary wisdom, ancient forms and progressive forms. Sabbe sankhara anicca.

I believe the fourfold assembly of senior monks, nuns, laywomen and laymen share in many respects a common vision. We trust that seniors in the Western tradition neither hold to a hierarchy of roles or wisdom nor reduce everyone to sameness.

This is an important time for the Western tradition of Dharma and one of its important expressions through the ongoing dedication of Theravada monks and nuns. There are plenty of us dedicated to the Dharma who are following developments with much interest.

We look forward to the response of the senior Ajahns who are meeting in Thailand from December 7 – 9, 2009, to discuss various matters including the Australian ordination of bhokkhunis in October.We trust they wil bring their considerable wisdom to the situation for the welfare of one and all.

Accompanied by my seven year-old grandson, Kye, and beloved friend, Anne Ashton, a former director of Gaia House, I enjoyed a few hours at Gaia house recently to join in the celebration of 25 years since the opening of Gaia house in 1983. Gaia House invited me to attend the daylong event. …

Gaia House celebrates 25 yearsRead More »

I engaged in some wishful thinking in a 10,000 word article I wrote for the last Dharma e-News titled “Is Psychotherapy a distant cousin of the Dharma.”

I wrote: “The concept of ‘Therapy’ derives from ‘Theravada.”

I should have written “The concept of ‘Therapy’ does not derive from ‘Theravada.

…

Theravada and the TherapeuticRead More »

As a former Buddhist monk, I bow down with the greatest respect and reverence to the thousands of Burmese monks who silently and respectfully walked the streets of cities and towns of Burma to communicate unequivocally their profound disapproval of the treatment of the citizens of the country by the military government.

I saw the picture of a senior monk in Rangoon with an upturned begging bowl leading a march with thousands of monks following in his steps. It was an extraordinary picture. …

Overturning the Begging BowlRead More »

The Limits of Sitting Meditation

I was having a cafe latte with Reza in the funky Barrel coffee shop in the top end of Totnes high street, just a few minutes walk from my home. For years, I sat in the corner window seat reading beloved French philosophers, Nagarjuna, a continental novel, scribbling down a poem, people watching or having a lengthy conversation on every issue under the sun with people who dropped in to share a seat at the same table. …

THE LIMITS OF SITTING MEDITATIONRead More »