Lzh Mi Bi Pm Ss 4Ordaining a Criminal
Pāli / Sanskrit:Corīvuṭṭhāpikā
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Explanation of the Corīvuṭṭhāpikā Sutta (The Sutta on Ordaining a Thief)
Background
The Corīvuṭṭhāpikā Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the rules of practice and governance for the community of monks and nuns. This context reflects the early period of Buddhism, when regulations concerning the life of practice were established to protect the monastic community and maintain ethical standards.
This sutta concerns a complex situation: a person with a history of wrongdoing, specifically theft (corī), wishes to join the Sangha. The question raised is whether a person who has committed such base actions can be received and ordained. This is not a small question, because the Sangha is a place of diligent practice, where purity of mind and action is the foundation of the path.
Main Content
According to the spirit of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, receiving someone into the Sangha requires examining whether that person is qualified. Some basic requirements include that the person must be of sufficient age, not have a contagious or mental illness, not be publicly in debt, and most importantly, must have a genuine intention to abandon evil actions in order to practice according to the true Dharma.
The Corīvuṭṭhāpikā Sutta considers the specific case of a person with a history of theft. The discipline does not completely forbid those with a criminal past from joining, because Buddhism believes that human beings are capable of change, capable of practice and transformation. However, several factors must be carefully considered:
First, does that person truly wish to abandon the act of stealing? Intention (cetanā) is the decisive factor in Buddhism. Second, would receiving this person negatively affect the community’s trust and the honor of the Sangha? Third, do the preceptor and the Sangha have sufficient capacity to help this person practice and overcome unwholesome habits?
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