That monk should then distribute the ballots. If the majority of monks vote in accordance with the Teaching, then that legal issue has been resolved. This is called the resolution of a legal issue. It’s been resolved face-to-face and by majority decision. Face-to-face with what? Face-to-face with the Sangha, the Teaching, the Monastic Law, and the persons concerned. This is the meaning of face-to-face with the Sangha: the monks who should be present have arrived, consent has been brought for those who are eligible to give their consent, and no one present objects to the decision. This is the meaning of face-to-face with the Teaching and the Monastic Law: the Teaching, the Monastic Law, the Teacher’s instruction—that by which that legal issue is resolved. This is the meaning of face-to-face with the persons concerned: both sides—those who are disputing and those they’re disputing with—are present. This is the meaning of by majority decision: the doing of, the performing of, the participation in, the consent to, the agreement to, the non-objection to that legal procedure of majority decision. When a legal issue has been resolved like this, if any of the participants reopen it, they commit an offense entailing confession for the reopening. If anyone who gave their consent criticizes the resolution, they commit an offense entailing confession.”

The three kinds of voting