5. The Monastic Theme of Education

The educational system of Buddhism forms the whole life of the Buddhist movement itself and reflects in its purposive character the literary, moral, intellectual and spiritual aspects of its culture. It aims at the gradual and progressive enrichment of this life. Starting as a system of training for monks, it grows and functions within the monastic community and expands its scope and purpose under the impact of cultural interests and values, until the monastery becomes not just a place for meditation only, but also a seat of culture and learning. It characterizes the expansion of the former domestic pattern of educational method into a larger educational system established and operated by a collective body of teachers and students.

This way of life is technically called “brahmacariya”, normally translated as a ‘noble life’^[1] and possibly taken as a life of studentship which indicates ‘a life devoted to the observance of vows of holiness, particularly of chastity, including such ideas of good and moral living, especially in the Buddhist sense of moral life, holy life, religious life, renouncing the world etc.

In receiving the first five disciples, for instance, the Buddha said “live a good moral, 'holy' life (brahmacariya) to put an utter end to all suffering”, and while sending them to the rest of the people for the purpose of propagating Buddhism, he also exhorted them: “Go journeying, monks, in a round that can bear the good and happiness for the sake of many folk, out of compassion…. Introduce this brahmacariya to them…”^[2] One who has completed or reached the final goal of this way of life is described in the statement: “… the 'holy' life is successfully lived, in which the task (of learning and training) has completely been done (vusitam brahmacariyam katam karaniyam). He is neither lived to cheat or cajole people, nor concern with getting gain, profit and notoriety, but for the sake of self-restraint abandoning evil doings, detachment from passion and emancipation. Yet its utmost and ultimate aim is not confined to the advantages in moral habit, in concentration, in knowledge and vision, but extends itself to freedom without any further attachment (without any tendency to becoming, the so-called unsupported emancipation-anupada parinibbanattham), such an unshakable state of freedom is the final goal and the culmination of the 'holy' life.

According to the Buddhist tradition^[3], ordination is performed in three ways;

(1) Ehibhikkhu-upasampada: This kind of ordaining the monks was not only authorized by the Buddha but also used by him when he ordained his first five disciples, for instance, imply by uttering a statement: come, monks, well taught is the doctrine…”

(2) Tissaranupasampada: In later years, the buddha allowed this manner of ordination to be employed by a qualified individual preceptor (upajjhaya), i.e. to ordain an applicant by making the latter repeat after him three times: I go to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha for my quide.”

(3) Natticatutthakamma-upasampada: Finally with a view to handing over the administrative authority to the Sangha, so that it could be a federal selfgoverning community, the Buddha announced the abrogation of the first two forms of ordination and declared that the ordination-procedure was henceforth to be performed by the Sangha only. This method of admitting a new member to the monastic life requires four steps of action within the assembly presided over by an Upajjhaya. Briefly, this implies that an acariya to the assembly submits a motion or appeal (natti). Then, a threefold declaration explaining and sustaining the first motion is subjected to the assembly for approval. In case there is any (interrupting) objection, the proceeding are nullified and the motion is rejected. This manner of ordination is practiced even to the present day. When a person has been admitted into a monastic community, he becomes its member with all the right and privileges under the same constitution (Dhammavinaya)^[4].

“The constitution of a Buddhist Sangha was perfectly democratic," Observed Piyadassi,” and as regards its constitutional right and privileges all were on the same footing."^[5] The Buddha claimed eight wonderful characteristics (acchariya) of the religion he taught:

(1) There is a gradual training, practice, and mode of progress, with no abruptness.

(2) When the educational code is made known to them the disciples will not transgress it even for their life’s sake.

(3) Whoever living under this educational code is wicked, of an evil nature, impure in thought, word and deed, of suspicious conduct, or of unfair actions, is no longer a recluse, though vowed thereto, nor chaste, though vowed to chastity,; he is rotten to the core. The Sangha will not sort with him, but will quickly assemble and cast him away. Though he may be seated in the midst of the assembled monks, yet he is far from the Sangha and the Sangha from him.

(4) In this monastic way of life, people of the four different grades of society lose their former ranks and are reckoned simply as recluses.

(5) Just as the ocean does not flow over nor become empty, thus the element of Nibbana does not flow over nor become empty.

(6) Just as the ocean has but on taste, the taste of salt, even so this discipline of dhamma has but one taste, that of release.

(7) Just as the ocean has many, diverse treasures, so this discipline of dhamma has many, deverse spiritual treasures, the Four Arising of Mindfulness (cattaro satipatthana)^[6], etc.

(8) Just as the ocean is the home of countless living beings, so this discipline of dhamma is the home of great beings; the people of Streamwinning (Sotapanna^[7]), etc.

During his whole lifetime, the Buddha was considered the supreme head of the Buddhist system and of the whole monastic community. But what the Buddha had in mind concerning this matter, after his passing away, may be conceived from the following declaration, “It may be, Ananda, that is some of you the thought may arise, ‘the word of the Master has ended (with his passing away), but it is not thus that you all should regard it, because the Norm and Law, which I have taught to you all, is the teacher to you all, after I have gone.^[8] "

Elsewhere we learn that Vassakara, the chief minister of Magadhian kingdom, asked the venerable Ananda whether there was any single monk appointed by the Buddha to be his successor, and to be promoter or a guide (patisarana, lit. A help, or protection) of the Sangha after he had passed away, or whether there was anyone authorized for his purpose by the Sangha and appointed by a large number of senior monks. Receiving the latter’s answer in the negative, he raised a further question: “Then, what is the cause of your unity (in the pattern of monastic life), if you all live without resort or protection?"

The Venerable Ananda answered that none of the monks ever lived without a promoter or guide, and that ‘such an exalted guide was the constitution (the doctrine, Dhamma).' And then he went on to explain: there is indeed an educational course of learning and training including a disciplinary code of obligation (patimokkha) regulated by the Lord for all monks, under which we all who live in mutual dependence on the same field and village, each and all, gather together on every Observance Day (Uposatha), and then we inquire what has happened to each one; if there is any matter of offence, a transgression on the part of any monk will take place, for instance, we help him to deal with it according to our Constitution and to the instruction. But verily, no venerable individuals deal with us; it is the Constitution only that deals with us.^[9] ”

It is clear from the above passages that the Doctrine and Discipline represent the supreme authority or constitution, through with the pattern of monastic life is constituted, by which it lives, and upon which its destiny depends. The constitution^[10], as I had once experienced, has a complete control over the whole monastic way of life, not only of the community as a whole but also over each group or groups of individuals and each individual, and as such it is armed with various rules and regulations designed to meet any contingency. The rules lay down in general outlines, but of practical authority, the means of maintaining the democratic federalism of the monastic system itself.

This way of life, under the constitution, characterizes the efficiency of its organization as depending upon the fraternal principle of administration,^[11] ’ which is further strengthened by the educational bond of individual;

(a) The framing of the supreme constitution governing the monastic establishment as a whole and binding all its members, the teacher as well as the thought alike.

(b) The mutual adjustment of relations among the same constituent groups and between the other constituent groups.

(c) The interdependence of each constituent group of pupils bound to an individual teacher or a group of teachers.^[12]

It is for their education which is believed to be the means to lead them to their aims that the monks including the novices, After their ordination, are brought to live together fraternally in the monasteries. This further points to an educational bond known as ‘the element of Nissaya’, which may be understood in terms of an educational life dependent upon a teacher. A neophyte require a preceptor (Upajjhaya) or a regular teacher (acariya), for this purpose, who, as it is laid down, has to be a senior monk endowed with certain qualifications. The appointment of a teacher becomes imperative in the interest of the educational standard. In order to promote and develop the higher and better education in the monastic community, the primary element to be emphasized is the selection of a proper teacher or teachers; the Buddha declared that no monk who has not been an ordained monk for at least ten years could be a teacher, and that, above all, he must at the same time be sufficiently qualified. According to the texts, the fact that the new members of a monastic community lived without being properly controlled, exhorted and educated, and behaved themselves wrongly and improperly, led to the appointment of a teacher. “I agree a teacher (acariya) that the teacher should arouse in his pupil (antevasika) the attitude of a son (puttacitta), and the pupil should arouse in his teacher the attitude of a father (pitucitta)". Thus, this living together in reverence, deference, and courtesy towards each other, will come to growth (vuddhi), increase and maturity in this Doctrine and Discipline. One who is of ten years’ standing is allowed to give guidance and instruction to a pupil…" But a monk, who, in spite of being a monk for ten years, is ignorant, insufficiently educated, trained, experienced and intelligent, is not allowed to act as a teacher, to give guidance and instruction to a pupil. A monk, who does so, is testified of an offence of wrong doing (dukkhata). “I agree giving guidance and instruction by an experienced, competent monk who is of ten years' standing or of more than ten years standing.^[13] ”

A monk who is allowed to be a teacher must possess certain qualifications. An expert's body of moral habit, of concentration, of wisdom, of freedom, of vision and knowledge of freedom testify him. With all the above qualification, he is capable of encouraging others and imparting to them such qualifications. He must have confidence, self-realization, be full of shame in doing wrong things, be energetic and careful in all activities, be ready of mindfulness. He does not fall away from moral habit, from good habits, from the right view; he has heard and learned much, and is intelligent. He is competent and able to make others competent, to tend or make others tend a dutiful pupil to allay or get others to allay dissatisfaction that has arisen to a pupil, to dispel or get others to dispel, by means of the Doctrine, to remove or to make difficulty that has arisen to a pupil, to know what an offence (apatti) is and how to remove it. He is capable of training a pupil in the educational course regarding the fundamentals of higher conduct (abhisamacarika), etc. of the holy life, of leading him to the Doctrine and Discipline, of removing a false views from others concerning the Doctrine and Discipline. With regard to the monastic law, he knows what an offence is, what an offence is not, what a slight offence is and what a serious offence is and thoroughly remembers the Patimokkha^[14] which is fully handed down to him, classified, intoned, divided by rule and according to its explanation. With the above qualification he must be at least ten years' standing or of more than ten years' standing.

In the original texts, we come across the names of several teachers of various branches of knowledge. The teacher of the same subjects had their seats arranged in close proximity to one another and those subjects, such as Suttanta i.e. Discourse or Dialogue, Vinaya i.e. Discipline, Dhamma i.e. Doctrine, placed in their own department^[15]. The Anguttaranikaya furnished us with a list of the experts and specialists who held the topmost places in certain subjects and who were given the little “agga" by the Buddha. The list was significant in that it also mentioned those branches of knowledge which are gained by pupil at the completion of their studies, were not only completely mastered by certain specialist teachers who were in charge of educating others, but also were eagerly sought after by their pupils for learning.

A few names from the list are given as follow;

1. The Ven. Annakondanna -the head of those who were renowned for their experience of general knowledge (rattannu).

2. The Ven. Saritta–the head of those who were vastly learned in a specialized branch of knowledge (mahapanno).

3. The Ven. Mahamoggallana–the head of those endowed with the knowledge of supernormal power (iddhimanto).

4. The Ven. Anuruddha–the head of those having the knowledge of supernatural vision (dibbacakkhu).

5. The Ven. Upali–the head of those who were experts in the Vinayapitaka (vinayadharo).

6. The Ven. Ananda–the head of those who were experts in the Suttantapitaka (bahusutto).

7. The Ven. Punna Mantaniputta–the head of those who were experts in the art of preaching doctrine (dhammakathika).^[16]

A pupil is required to arouse in his teacher the attitude of a father as mentioned above, and to live under the guidance of his chosen teacher by an act of declaration: “Honored sir, be my teacher, I will live in dependence on the venerable one." He is expected to live five years under his teacher, until he proves to be experienced, competent and capable, but if he fails he is still required to live more than five years or all his life in dependence of his teacher. “I agree only an experienced competent monk to live only five years in dependence of his preceptor or teacher, but an inexperienced, uneducated and incompetent one should live all his life in dependence of his preceptor to teacher”^[17]. That is to say, he will remain as a student following the training course under the direction of his teacher, until he has acquired the qualifications and virtues prescribed for a teacher, and reached the highest goal of education as mentioned above.

The ideal underlying in this system is that a member of the monastic community could be either a competent teacher to keep some pupils under his guidance or be a pupil, and that all the members are tied together by the bond of the teacher and by his teaching, which implied that everyone in the community has some kind of responsibility to the other for the benefit for the group or groups and of the community as a whole. Such an educational bond is also called (Sikkhasajiva), i.e. the mode of living constituted by an educational code (Sikkhapada), and one who lives under this educational code (Sikkhasajivasamapanno) is bound to follow this pattern of life, and a feeling of mutual obligation.

A teacher commits an Offence of Wrong doing if he himself is uneducated. If a teachers does not forgive a pupil who has already rectified his conduct, or if he does not dismiss misconduct pupil or if he dismisses one who conducts properly is not a well train teacher. We can summarize the duties of a teacher towards his pupil as follow; he should be solicitous for the welfare, profit and growth of his pupil, he should help his pupil by all means through exhortation, instruction, training and providing for his daily needs. When the pupil is unwell the teacher should reciprocate all acts of service given to him by the pupil, without however playing the role of an attendant to his pupil but with the role of a father to him, and this service should be continued till the pupil recover from his illness and resumes his normal work.

A pupil who does not conduct himself properly towards his teacher commits an Offence for wrong-doing. He must be dismissed (panametum) by his teacher or by the Sangha; if he conducts himself improperly even after being admonished, or if he does not show filial affection and respect towards his teacher or if he is not ashamed of his bad behaviour towards his teacher and shows no spiritual progress^[18]. The duties of a pupil towards a teacher may be summed up as follows;

(1) Rising earlier in the morning than his teacher, the pupil should provide for him a tooth-stick and water, then a seat and a cup of rice-gruel, if there is any. And when the teacher gets up, his seat should be removed and cleaned.

(2) If a teacher desire to go to the village for alms, the pupil should offer him with fresh robes and a bowl, and when he goes along the road the pupil should follow his teacher keeping a moderate distance from him.

(3) When the teacher returns, the pupil should approach him and offer him water for washing his feet and seat, take the bowl from him and arrange his robes.

(4) During his meal the teacher should be attended to and when he has finished his meal the pupil should keep some water for washing his hands and should cleans his bowl.

(5) If the teacher is inclined to the have a bath, the pupil should supply him a warm or cold bath as case may be and administer all suitable things regarding this matter.

(6) When the teacher is engaged in conversation with others he should not be disturbed by the pupil but could be restrained if the teacher indulges in speeches calculated to undermine the dignity of the Sangha.

(7) When the teacher is inclined to give lesson by holding discussions or lectures the pupil should energetically and faithfully attend his class.

(8) The cleaning of the dwelling place and the whole monastery should be effected by the pupil.

(9) In certain matters and circumstance, the pupil is expected to behave towards his teacher as if he were his equal, if not superior: when the teacher is seemingly inclined to lose his confidence in the Doctrine and Discipline, and to hold views tending to belong to another sect, it is the duty of the pupil to restore his confidence and to have these views removed by talking on the Dhamma, and when the teacher becomes guilty of any offence so that he deserves to be punished by the Sangha according to the codes of punishment, it is also the duty of the pupil to expedite the operation of these acts and see that the performance is undertaken well and without undue delay. If the teacher should be rehabilitated (readmitted into the Sangha), the pupil should make efforts towards the effectuation of this performance also^[19].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Visudhimagga, p.11.

[2]:

Ch.Venkata Siva Sai,Ibid., p.25

[3]:

At the present day in Thailand, there are two ceremony; (a) Pabbaja Ceremony: Pabbaja was an accepted ceremony of the Buddhist monasteries. Pabbaja means going out, according to this ceremony the students after being admitted to a monastery had to renounce all his worldly and family relationship. (b) Upasampada Ceremony: After Pabbaja the Buddhist Monk had to undergo the Upasampada ceremony. This ceremony was different from pabbaja ceremony.

[4]:

Ibid., pp.25-27.

[5]:

Piyadassi Thera, The Buddha’s Ancient Path, p.35.

[6]:

Dighanikaya, Vol. II. P.290.

[7]:

Dighanikaya, Vol. I., p.156.

[8]:

Dighanikaya, Vol. XVI. Mahaparinibbana Suttanta, p.156.

[9]:

Dighanikaya,Vol. XVI., Mahaparinibbana Suttanta, p.173.

[10]:

The Buddhist’s Life Standards arose in response to a wish to stress the importance of Buddhists having some principles to adhere to and earnestly practice by. This is to be achieved through reviving and advocating the principles of practice described by the Buddha in the Singalaka Sutta (D III 180-193) as regulations which Buddhists many hold to and practice as general standards for conducting their lives and by which they may together contribute to a good, happy, and prosperous society.

[11]:

Ven.P.A.Payutto, A Constitution For Living, pp.18-19.

[12]:

Ibid., pp.56-57.

[13]:

Ibid., pp.58-59.

[14]:

Ańguttaranikaya, Vol.III., p.138.

[15]:

Bhikkhu P.A. Payutto, A Constitution For Living, Ibid., pp.36-40.

[16]:

Apadana Part I., pp.15-53.

[17]:

Ven.P.A. Payutto, A Constitution For Living, Ibid., pp.59-61.

[18]:

Indasara Wasin, Theravada Buddhist Principles, p.103.

[19]:

Ven.P.A. Payutto, A Constitution For Living, Ibid., pp.81-85.