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Public Letter from Sobhana Bhikkhuni

| arun

Sobhana Bhikkhuni has been posting some responses to Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s opinion on Facebook. Below is her public letter.

November 20, 2009

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Metta Forest Monastery
PO Box 1409
Valley Center, CA 92082 USA
1-619-813-8461

Dear Bhante,

I am writing in regard to your letter of November 13, which is posted at DhammaLight.com.

犀利士 Thanissaro Bhikkhu on the Validity of the Bhikkhuni Ordination_13-11-09.htm”>http://www.dhammalight.com/vinaya/Thanissaro%20Bhikkhu%20on%20the%20Validity%20of%20the%20Bhikkhuni%20Ordination_13-11-09.htm

With this letter you have declared that my bhikkhuni ordination is invalid, along with several hundred bhikkhunis ordained at Dambulla, Sri Lanka. I was ordained at Dambulla in 2006 upon the advice of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, who considered that ordination to be the cleanest and most sound ordination form available.

Also with this letter, you attack the ordinations of the majority of bhikkhunis throughout the world, including in the Dharmagupta. You are opposing the vinayadharas and vinaya committees who spent many months and years analysing the issues, prior to ordinations at Sarnath in 1996, at Bodhgaya in 1998, in Perth in 2009, and many more. You are creating disruption and conflict between yourself and a significant part of the Buddhist sangha worldwide.

I request that you disavow this letter and reconsider your analysis.

With metta, Bhikkhuni Sobhana

Bhavana Society
Rt 1 Box 218-3
High View, WV 26808 USA

Many thanks to Sobhana Bhikkhuni for sharing her letters as well as others. Besides, it’s a delight to post some words from a bhikkhuni on this issue.

Letter from Thanissaro Bhikkhu

| arun

Thanissaro Bhikkhu is a prominent translator and scholar of Theravada Buddhism in the West, having paid particular attention to the Vinaya. Ajahn Nyanadhammo, former abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, apparently asked Ajahn Thanissaro for a judgment on the transaction statements used at the bhikkhuni ordination ceremony in Australia. The response has therefore attracted significant interest. The letter focuses on “the use of a form in which two candidates are mentioned in a single proclamation.” The following points are made towards the end in section 11.

  1. Bhi Pc 83 does not allow a bhikkhuni to act as a sponsor for more than one candidate for ordination in a year. This rule is in force regardless of the number of residences available for bhikkhunis.
  2. There are no examples of transaction statements authorized in the Canon where the sheer form of the statement would intrinsically entail the breaking of a rule
  3. Thus the allowance at Mv.I.74.3—allowing a single proclamation to mention two or three candidates for bhikkhu ordination—cannot be extended to bhikkhunis, for such a statement would intrinsically be “apart from the Vinaya… apart from the Teacher’s instruction.”
  4. As Mv.X.3.2 states, any transaction using this sort of statement would be “not a transaction.”
  5. There are no cases where the Canon explicitly states that an unauthorized form of a transaction statement might be used for an Acceptance transaction and yet the candidate would count as validly accepted. In other words, there are no exemptions for the ruling at Mv.X.3.2.
  6. Thus a bhikkhuni ordination in which the transaction statements mentioned more than one candidate per statement would not be considered valid, and the candidates would not count as bhikkhunis.

He goes on to discuss his opinions on the importance of following the Vinaya with relation to the integrity, even if only the perceived integrity, of one’s conduct.

Of course, not everyone takes even the most authoritative Vinaya texts in the Canon as totally authoritative, but there are those who do. Any Community that wanted its transactions to receive universal recognition from other Communities would be well advised to give these points serious consideration and stick strictly to the authorized forms.

[…]

Admittedly, the fact that a group follows the authorized forms when conducting Community transactions may provide only a minimal guarantee of its trustworthiness, but it is at least an outward sign that the members of the Community know something of the Buddha’s teachings, respect what they know, and are behaving in good faith. If a Community were to deviate from the authorized forms, that fact would immediately call their knowledge and motives—their fitness to carry on the Dhamma and Vinaya—into question. This is why the forms are so important for mutual respect, harmony, and trust—all qualities of the heart—in the Community at large.

As usual, I found out about this over at Ajahn Sujato’s blog. He mentioned several follow up responses from the likes of Ayya Tathaaloka, Ayya Suddhamma, Ajahn Brahm, Bhikkhu Bodhi and more. I found on most of these articles on Facebook, and I’m happy to repost them here.

Theravada Reformers

| arun

In response to a certain line of criticism over the Australian bhikkhuni ordination, Ajahn Sujato provides some context into how some recent Theravada reforms went about.

We’ve been told by so many people that the Sangha needs to go ahead by consensus, that we need to wait for agreement before we can do bhikkhuni ordination. What this means is by no means clear – exactly whose agreement is required? Wat Pa Pong? Thai Buddhism? International Theravada? […] But how does this entirely theoretical ‘Sangha’ play out in the real world? How does change actually come about? I’d like to share just a few examples of major changes that have helped to form modern Buddhism as we know it.

He discusses the Dhammayuttika, the Thai Forest Tradition, Mahasi Sayadaw, Pa ‘Auk Sayadaw and the phenomenon of modern translation. I implore you to read this (very long) post because, like Wandering Dhamma, Ajahn Sujato opens a window into the Theravada, which from without is often depicted as uniform and ossified. I was surprised at the extent to which his words echoed opinions I’ve privately held on these subjects. There are certainly points where I disagree, but they are inconsequential to the many shared conclusions. While at times seeming backward and moribund, the Theravada has also routinely cultivated agents of change who renew the tradition generation after generation. The bhikkhuni revival is but another chapter in this great tradition of reform.

Unsolicited Plug

| arun

Wandering Dhamma is the hands down favorite blog that I hardly ever read. Brooke Schedneck writes wonderfully thorough (and very long) posts about her dissertation research in Thailand. (I vow to read them all.) Her exploration of the Thai meditation traditions is relevant and illuminating on many levels. Most prominently, meditation is one of the primary “Dharma gates” through which many non-heritage Buddhists come to Buddhism. So how is meditation in Thailand presented to Westerners? Her research also touches on the role the Theravada in modernity. Through investigation of particular histories, she reveals how the increasing diversity and dialogue within the Theravada community manifests itself within contemporary Buddhism in Thailand. Not to mention that the recent Australian bhikkhuni ordination and institutional backlash have shoved the Thai forest traditions into the spotlight of the Buddhist media. (Check out her post on visiting a bhikkhuni meditation center.) These are traditions that are often romanticized and poorly understood in the broader Buddhist community. Honestly, I would know hardly anything if one of my dearest friends weren’t a monk at a Wat Pah Pong branch temple in Thailand. If you’d like a more intimate perspective on Buddhist meditative traditions in Thailand, Wandering Dhamma is certainly a great place to go.

Zen Buddhism in Brazil

| arun

Dangerous Harvests blogger Nathan shares an article about Zen Buddhism in Brazil.

The author, Cristina Moreira da Rocha, writes of the history and development of Buddhism (primarily Zen Buddhism) in Brazil, beginning with the arrival of Japanese immigrant laborers in 1908 up to the present day diversity of approaches Buddhism and Buddhist communities. What I have been struck with is how many parallels there are to the North American Buddhist story.

He expands on five themes that jumped out at him, namely, the initial arrival through Asian immigrant communities, oppression of citizens and immigrants of Japanese descent during World War II, the increase of Buddhist “missionaries” and teachers arriving during the 1950’s, the issue of whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy, and a certain level of Christian influence. Both pieces are well worth your time, but for those of you with very little time to spare, Nathan’s post is a good summary.

Searching for Students Interned

| arun

Reposted from the Angry Asian Man. This is important, so get the word out.

University of California campuses are looking for former Japanese American students who had their studies derailed by being interned during World War II: UC searches for interned Japanese American students.

Ceremonies to award honorary degrees to the former students are set for December and spring 2010. The campuses want to honor as many people as possible and are still seeking potential recipients.

Approximately 700 UC students withdrew from school in 1942 when they and approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans on the West Coast were sent to internment camps. Many never returned to UC to finish their studies. Some eventually earned degrees from other universities, while others never returned to college.

On July 16, 2009, the University of California Board of Regents agreed to grant special honorary degrees to the hundreds of Japanese American students who were enrolled at the University but were forced to leave their studies and never received a UC degree as a result of the internment.

Ceremonies to award the degrees have been scheduled at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA and UC San Francisco — the four campuses in existence at the time of Executive Order 9066. During the ceremonies, campuses also plan to acknowledge students who were interned but returned to the University to finish their degree.

Former students who may be eligible, their families or friends are encouraged to contact individual UC campuses about receiving an honorary degree. Campus contacts and ceremony information can be found here: UC Honorary Degrees.

UPDATE: San Diego State University is also among the many California colleges that are searching for former interned students to grant honorary degrees: SDSU seeks ex-internee students.

Buddhist Church of Florin

| arun

My apologies for broadcasting this announcement so late. The Buddhist Church of Florin celebrates!

The Buddhist Church of Florin celebrated its 90th anniversary on Oct. 25 with the theme “Remembering the Past and Embracing the Future.”

Over 200 people attended the event. Through old photographs, maps and newspaper clippings, attendees reflected on the people and efforts that made the temple what it is today.

You can check out the photos on the church website. (You can also check out Florin!)

Apologia

| arun

Marcus recently took offense at some words I used, namely, “The West has already colonized Vietnam and bombed it halfway to being a tropical parking lot. Please, at least let us have our language.” I must first note that these words in no way represent the people of Vietnam or people of Vietnamese heritage in the broader sense. The Wikipedia discussion on Thich Nhat Hanh remains a sore spot for me. However, I must take into account Marcus’ words that I go too far in comparing “making a mistake over an unfamiliar name with the bombing of Vietnam.” I stand by my fierce objection to the Wikipedians’ extensive effort over several years to force their views on how Thich Nhat Hanh should be rendered—but I am also willing to reconsider the harshness of my words. Indeed, my words are insensitive to the victims of Western colonialism and bombing campaigns. My apologies.

Nun Est Facta

| arun

The controversy surrounding the Australian bhikkhuni ordination has provoked quite a bit of discussion and ad-hominem attacks towards various Buddhists. (Other developments include the globalization of WPP as an acronym for Wat Nong Pa Pong!) I’ve provided below a selection of related posts I’ve found interesting.

  • Shravasti Dhammika opines that “Theravada Buddhism in its traditional homelands is, for the most part, spiritually moribund, tradition-bound and retrograde”—and provides his own ideas of what a “Buddhism relevant to the West” (Buddhayana) would look like. [November 7, 2009]
  • Lim Kooi Fong at the Buddhist Channel explains the editorial decision to place a hold on discussion of the controversy surrounding the Australian bhikkhuni ordination. [November 8, 2009]
  • You can find Bhikkhu Bodhi’s revised response on Ajahn Sujato’s eponymous blog. [November 8, 2009]
  • Ajahn Sujato also discusses what the 1928 Bhikkhuni Ban really said, and what it amounted to. [November 9, 2009]
  • Phra Cittasamvaro gives his own two cents regarding the events and context. [November 10, 2009]
  • For the youthful Kester Ratcliff, recent events further demonstrate that Thai Buddhism actually isn’t Buddhist and that “the time has come to let go of our Thai heritage.” He writes well, and I look forward to seeing what sort of work he’ll produce when he grows up. [November 10, 2009]

Several pieces from the key actors are cross-posted at multiple locations, including the Buddhist Channel, the Buddhist Society of Western Australiaand Ajahn Sujato’s blog. I must note that although I always refer to this in the context of the bhikkhuni ordination… whatever the nuns involved have to say has gotten barely any publicity at all—at least on the sites that I’ve been reading. A bit sad.

Choosing a Teacher

| arun

Karen Maezen Miller writes on Shambhala Sun Space about choosing the right teacher.

Choose a teacher who practices what he or she preaches. Teachers can be charming, entertaining and provocative, but if you choose based on anything other than the vigor and authenticity of their practice, you will surely be misled.

Choose a teacher who has time for you and a practice center you can get to, or your spiritual life might be little more than intellectual tourism. You can find lots of information and opinions on the Internet but it will never take you anywhere new. As long as you view yourself as a dabbler, you are holding yourself back from the wholeness you seek.

The quote she remembers from Maezumi Roshi speaks very strongly to me: “Choosing the wrong teacher is worse than having no teacher at all.”