"Majority"? Majority. That's all I hear is "most of the monks" or "majority of them". In the practical sense, it might as well be none. Here "majority" is meaningless because if this supposed majority exists, why has it allowed this minority represent them in such an unskillful manner? Why has this been allowed to exist for so long? This "most" is also responsible. As I've stated, wisdom is the main factor. How is the the wisdom of the Buddhas consistent with the intolerance and mistreatment of another because of sex or race? It's obvious that these senior monks lost face because they couldn't control one of their own. I say , deal with it. The Bhikkuni ordination is the essential issue here. If this "pure" Thai tradition can't separate, can't distinguish the twigs and leaves from the heartwood, it will die off through irrelevance. Let's not forget folks that Buddhism died off in the very country of its birth, how much more possible is it for this to occur in another?
As for these western monks, they too are complicit. Most have hidden behind the excuse of tradition and have deflected the issue by focusing on the "not the right way to have gone about it" perspective. Fine, it was unskillful to go about it that way, yet what about bhikkuni ordination? I've been waiting and still waiting for some of these Western Ajahns (Sumedho, Jayasaro) for whom I have profound respect and much gratitude to say how the mistreatment of women is conventional, cultural and not something which exists a priori in or flows naturally from Buddhism. As it is, I can only looked to the Dhamma and the Buddha in order to improve myself if the Sangha doesn't have the courage to do what should be done.
I am not sorry. Bhikkus can't be considered great if they let convention or tradition justify injustice and intolerance.
cooran wrote:
How dare you refer to great bhikkhus in this scurrilous way. I see this is your first post ~ did you join just to do this and dis Thai Buddhism as well? A little more knowledge may have been of assistance to you. The majority of the Forest Sangha abbots do not oppose, but rather support, ordination of women.
BTW, most of the Abbots and Senior Monks of the ForestSangha live in other countries and are not Thai but european e.g. Ajahn Sumedho from Amaravati Monastery - UK, Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno from Abhayagiri Monastery - U.S.A., Ajahn Thiradhammo from Bodhinyanarama Monastery - New Zealand, Ajahn Sucitto from Cittaviveka Monastery - UK, Ajahn Khemasiri from Dhammapala Kloster - Switzerland, Ajahn Khemadhammo from Forest Hermitage - UK, Ajahn Jutindharo of Hartridge Monastery - UK, Ajahn Chandapalo of Santacittarama Monastero - Italy, Ajahn Punnadhammo - Arrow River Centre - Canada, Ven. Bhikkhu Sona - Birken Forest Monastery, Canada, Ajahn Dhammasiha - Dhammagiri Hermitage - Australia, Ajahn Viradhammo and Ajahn Kusalo - Tisarana Monastery, Canada.
karuna,
Chris