Lzh Mu Bu Pm As 6Majority Decision

Exposition of the Sutta on Majority Decision (Yebhuyyasikā)

Background

The Yebhuyyasikā Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, within the Pātimokkha, the prohibitions for Buddhist practitioners. It is not a discourse of doctrinal teaching, but a rule of communal discipline for monks and nuns, with profound significance for collective governance.

This text was established while the Buddha was still living, in order to resolve disputes and disagreements within the Sangha. Śākyamuni Buddha saw that a community of practitioners needed fair principles for handling internal matters, especially when bhikkhus did not agree about prohibitions or penalties. “Yebhuyyasikā” means “decision by the majority” or “according to the verbal vote of the majority,” an ancient form of democracy within the monastic setting.

Main Content

The principle of Yebhuyyasikā states that when the Sangha must make a decision on disciplinary matters, such as determining who has violated the rules of monastic practice or adjudicating disputes between bhikkhus, those in the Sangha assemble, discuss, and then give a verbal vote (abbhācanīya). The decision of the majority is accepted as the official decision of the whole Sangha.

This method ensures fairness because no individual or small group has absolute authority to decide matters concerning the community. Instead, the decision is made democratically, according to the voice of the majority of bhikkhus. This text is also related to five other methods of handling matters (khandha), the five methods the Sangha uses to resolve disputes, among which Yebhuyyasikā is one of the most formal.

This rule reflects a profound principle: in the monastic community, no one is excessively above anyone else. Even senior Dharma masters must comply with the decision of the Sangha. This prevents personal autocracy and maintains harmony and balance within the Sangha.