Lzh Mu Bu Pm As 1Resolution Face to Face
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sammukhāvinaya
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The Sutta on Resolution Face to Face — Sammukhāvinaya
Background
Sammukhāvinaya (resolution face to face) is one of the methods for handling offenses in the traditional Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka. This sutta is recognized in the Pātimokkha Sutta and related legal texts, reflecting the way the Blessed Buddha and the Sangha handled disputes, discord, or violations of discipline within the monastic community.
The historical background of Sammukhāvinaya is connected with the development of the Sangha in the early period of Buddhism. As the number of monks and nuns increased, conflicts and misunderstandings inevitably arose. The Blessed Buddha, with unsurpassed wisdom, indicated fair and objective methods of resolution in order to maintain the harmony and purity of the community of practice. Sammukhāvinaya represents the handling of a matter “face to face” — directly in the presence of those concerned.
Main Content
Sammukhāvinaya is a method for resolving disputes or offenses when the involved parties are present and acknowledge the facts. Unlike other methods requiring complex investigation or third-party evidence, Sammukhāvinaya relies on voluntary and direct acknowledgment from those who committed the offense.
This procedure takes place before the Sangha or before representatives of the Sangha. The offender is required to acknowledge the fault directly before the community. When both sides — the accuser and the accused — are present and the truth is publicly confirmed, the Sangha makes the appropriate decision based on the discipline.
The important point of this method is that it is not merely the work of punishment, but also an opportunity for the offender to show genuine remorse (panitthānupassanā). Face-to-face acknowledgment and public correction are essential steps in the process of purifying the mind and restoring personal ethics. Sammukhāvinaya also protects the rights of the accused, because the truth is established clearly in the presence of everyone.
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