Dhamma Principles › Those the Saṅgha Appoints: Choose the Right Person, Then Don't Undermine Them
Those the Saṅgha Appoints: Choose the Right Person, Then Don't Undermine Them
Everyday life

Those the Saṅgha Appoints: Choose the Right Person, Then Don't Undermine Them

Anujānāmi bhikkhave aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgataṃ bhikkhuṃ bhikkhunovādakaṃ sammannituṃ

Three monks' rules about those the Saṅgha appoints to a duty. The group of six taught nuns without appointment, giving only a little Dhamma and spending the day in pointless talk, so the Buddha had the Saṅgha choose monks with eight qualities. Stirring up criticism of Dabba the Mallian, who assigned lodgings and meals, and accusing elders of teaching for gain are offences, unless the person criticised really is at fault.

7 points

In the Vinaya Piṭaka, Mahāvibhaṅga part 2, the Pācittiya section, three rules can be read together. The first is Exhortation Chapter, training rule 1: elders who instructed the nuns received requisites, so the group of six went to instruct them too, but gave only a little Dhamma talk and spent the day in pointless talk. The nuns told the Buddha the instruction could hardly be fruitful. He taught them himself, then allowed the Saṅgha to appoint a monk as instructor. When the group of six went outside the boundary and appointed one another, he set out eight qualities.

The second is Living Plants Chapter, training rule 3: Venerable Dabba the Mallian assigned lodgings and allocated meals for the Saṅgha. The monks Mettiya and Bhummajaka, newly ordained and receiving poor lodgings and food, stirred up other monks to criticise him for favouritism. The third is Exhortation Chapter, training rule 4: the group of six said the elders instructed the nuns for the sake of material gain.

All three are monastic discipline, and the nuns' side is mentioned here only as far as the stories need. The broad lesson is that a community should choose people for duties by clear criteria, and once they are chosen, not undermine them by stirring up others or accusing them about motives.

  1. 1

    A little teaching, then idle talk all day Parittaṃyeva dhammiṃ kathaṃ katvā divasaṃ tiracchānakathāya vītināmetvā

    Seeing that elders who instructed the nuns received robes, almsfood, lodgings and medicine, the group of six called the nuns to be instructed by them too, but gave only a little Dhamma talk, spent the day in pointless talk and sent them away. The nuns told the Buddha the instruction could hardly be fruitful. He taught them himself, and then allowed the Saṅgha to appoint a monk as instructor of nuns.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you are given the duty of teaching or training others, prepare enough content to be worth their time, and don't spend learners' time on things that don't help them.

  2. 2

    Going outside the boundary to appoint one another Nissīmaṃ gantvā aññamaññaṃ bhikkhunovādakaṃ sammannitvā

    Once instruction required appointment, the group of six went outside the monastery boundary, appointed one another as instructors, and told the nuns they too were appointed. When they taught, they did as before: a little Dhamma and pointless talk all day. An appointment process without criteria had become a mere name badge.

    Applying it in daily life

    Beware of small groups handing each other titles to appear to follow procedure. If the process doesn't check real qualifications, the title means nothing.

  3. 3

    The qualities of someone entrusted with a duty Kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo

    The Buddha allowed the Saṅgha to appoint a monk with eight qualities, among them: virtuous and restrained by the Pātimokkha, learned, with both Pātimokkhas well learned, analysed and decided, of good speech and clear expression, generally liked by the nuns, able to instruct them, and of twenty or more years' standing. The appointment is made by a formal act with one motion and three announcements in the Saṅgha.

    Applying it in daily life

    When choosing a team leader, mentor or group coordinator, write down the criteria first, covering conduct, knowledge, communication and experience, then choose openly.

  4. 4

    Stirring up criticism of the one who assigns lodgings and meals Chandāya dabbo mallaputto senāsanaṃ paññāpeti

    Venerable Dabba the Mallian assigned lodgings and allocated meals for the Saṅgha. Mettiya and Bhummajaka, newly ordained and of little merit, received poor lodgings and poor food, so they stirred up other monks to criticise him for assigning lodgings and meals as he pleased. The Buddha made stirring up criticism a pācittiya offence.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you are unhappy with your share from someone who allocates goods or rotas, talk to them or the person responsible directly, rather than gathering others to criticise together.

  5. 5

    Forbidden to stir up, so they grumbled within earshot Bhikkhūnaṃ sāmantā āyasmantaṃ dabbaṃ mallaputtaṃ khīyanti

    Thinking only stirring up had been forbidden, Mettiya and Bhummajaka grumbled about Dabba near the other monks instead. The Buddha added that grumbling is also a pācittiya offence. The analysis applies it to someone the Saṅgha has appointed to assign lodgings or distribute food, rice gruel, fruit, snacks or small items, when the speaker wishes to discredit, disgrace or embarrass them.

    Applying it in daily life

    Grumbling loudly for those around to hear has the same effect as stirring people up. If you need to talk about someone, speak to them directly or to whoever can fix the problem.

  6. 6

    Accusing them of teaching for gain Na bahukatā therā bhikkhū bhikkhuniyo ovadituṃ

    Elders who instructed the nuns received requisites, so the group of six said the elders weren't really keen to instruct the nuns but did it for material gain. The Buddha made it a pācittiya offence. The analysis says material gain covers robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicine, honour, respect, esteem, homage and veneration, and the offence is saying this about an appointed instructor with the wish to discredit him.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you see a volunteer or teacher receive gifts of thanks, don't rush to conclude they do it for the gifts. Intentions can't be seen, so accusations about motives need the greatest care.

  7. 7

    If they really are biased or after gain, you may say so Pakatiyā chandā dosā mohā bhayā karontaṃ

    The non-offence clause of the rule on stirring up criticism says there is no offence in criticising or grumbling about someone who habitually acts from desire, hatred, delusion or fear. Likewise with the rule on material gain: speaking of one who habitually instructs for gain is no offence. So the Vinaya does not forbid holding people to account; it forbids smearing them out of displeasure.

    Applying it in daily life

    Before criticising someone who serves the group, ask whether you have real grounds that they are habitually biased, or whether this time you just didn't get what you wanted.

Try it in daily life

Every shared undertaking has people who allocate rooms, draw up rotas, distribute goods or teach others, and they are often criticised by those unhappy with their share. These rules draw a clear line. If the person really is biased, you may say so. If you are merely unhappy with what you got, stirring others to gang up in criticism is wrong.

The same goes for accusing someone of working for reward. Receiving thanks-gifts for teaching or helping doesn't mean they do it for those gifts. Without evidence that they habitually act for gain, don't say it.

For those who choose, the first story warns that appointing one's own clique, or giving someone a role just because they want it, lets down the people the role serves. Clear criteria such as conduct, knowledge, ability to communicate and experience give the whole group confidence.

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