Lzh Sarv Bu Pm As 1Resolution Face to Face
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sammukhāvinaya
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The Sutta on Resolution Face to Face (Sammukhāvinaya)
Background
The Sammukhāvinaya Sutta (Pāli: Sammukhā-vinaya, provisionally translated “Resolution Face to Face”) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the collection especially concerned with the discipline of the Sangha (Saṅgha-sāsana). These are the rules of practice and discipline established by the Buddha Gotama for the community of monks and nuns (Bhikkhu-Bhikkhunī Saṅgha) in order to maintain purity in practice, instruction, and communal life.
In the context of the early Vinaya Piṭaka, Sammukhāvinaya is one of the methods for handling violations or disputes that occur among monks and nuns. The word “Sammukhā” means “in front” or “face to face,” while “vinaya” means “discipline” or “law.” This method emphasizes the importance of directness, transparency, and openness when resolving issues arising in the community of practice.
Main Content
Sammukhāvinaya prescribes that when disputes or violations of the rules occur, members of the monastic community should be dealt with by confronting the matter directly before the community. This means that the case is presented openly before all those concerned, not hidden or handled one-sidedly.
This procedure requires the presence of both the offender and witnesses, together with an examination of the truth of the matter. The community of monks and nuns will discuss, verify, and make a fair decision based on evidence and testimony. The purpose is not authoritarian punishment, but the protection of the purity of the monastic community and the helping of an individual practitioner to recognize faults and thereby correct conduct.
This face-to-face method is considered the preferred method because it ensures fairness, transparency, and the opportunity for the individual to offer a defense. It also helps the community learn from common mistakes, rather than letting problems disappear into darkness.
Practical Meaning
Sammukhāvinaya reflects the fundamental teaching of the Buddha-Dharma concerning truthfulness (sacca) and clarity (pabbajjā).
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