Dispute resolution

[SarathW]

How do monks resolve a dispute between a newly ordinate or novice monk and his teacher?
If the student firmly disagree with the teacher what other options available to him or his teacher?

[cooran]

Hello SarathW,

Hopefully some of our Bhikkhus will see your post and provide assistance with the answer.

In the mean time - here are a few links:

THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE VINAYA PITAKA I. SUTTAVIBHANGA
This section includes the complete set of rules for the Sangha, along with the "origin story" for each one. The rules are summarized in the Patimokkha, and amount to 227 rules for the bhikkhus, 311 for the bhikkhunis. The Patimokkkha rules are grouped as follows:
• Parajika: rules entailing expulsion from the Sangha (Defeat) (4 for bhikkhus, 8 for bhikkhunis)
• Sanghadisesa: rules entailing an initial and subsequent meeting of the Sangha (13, 17)
• Aniyata (indefinite) rules (2, 0)
• Nissaggiya pacittiya: rules entailing forfeiture and confession (30, 30)
• Pacittiya: rules entailing confession (92, 166)
• Patidesaniya: rules entailing acknowledgement (4, 8)
• Sekhiya: rules of training (75, 75)
• Adhikarana samatha: rules for settling disputes (7, 7)
http://www.vipassana.com/canon/vinaya/index.php

the 7 adhikaranasamathas
http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227/7as.htm

the novices' discipline
http://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/novices.htm

with metta
Chris

[mikenz66]

How do monks resolve a dispute between a newly ordinate or novice monk and his teacher?
If the student firmly disagree with the teacher what other options available to him or his teacher?

In many cases a preceptor will want to get to know the aspiring monk beforehand. The Western Ajahn Chah monasteries have a long induction period before ordination so that this issue is less likely to arise.

One of my friends ordained with a visiting Thai monk (and has been in Thailand for a couple of years now). But the preceptor required him to travel to Thailand with him for a couple of months first, to see if he found the lifestyle OK. And, in the discussion he had before accepting the offer (he wanted a couple of friends there to help ask questions he might have forgotten) the preceptor said (roughly) that he expected a new monk to do what he said for five years, then he was free to come and go freely. If he wanted to leave earlier, that was OK, but he shouldn't expect to ever come back.


Mike

[appicchato]

Personal experience tells me there's not really much room for dispute at all...one either accepts what's being offered, rejects it, or puts it on the back burner for further consideration...but to dispute?, not really...again, just me...