Upp As 6Majority Decision

Exposition of the Yebhuyyasikā Sutta (Majority Decision)

Context

The Yebhuyyasikā Sutta (Majority Decision) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Upasampadā Khandhaka section, where the rules concerning ordination and the governance of the monastic community are recorded. The Pāli Canon, especially the Vinaya Piṭaka, is the oldest treasury of Buddhist jurisprudence, transmitted from the time of the Buddha Gotama down to the present day in the Theravāda tradition.

The context for the composition of this discourse is bound up with the need to establish order within the monastic community. As the number of monks and nuns increased, disputes and disagreements concerning the teachings and practices began to arise. The Buddha, with boundless wisdom, not only laid down the Pātimokkha rules, but also taught methods for settling disputes in a fair and reasonable way. Decision by majority (Yebhuyyasikā) is one of those basic methods.

Main Content

The Yebhuyyasikā Sutta establishes the principle that, in matters that must be resolved within the community of monks and nuns, when complete unanimity cannot be reached, the decision of the majority of members present is recognized as lawful and binding upon the whole.

This method is applied in cases such as decisions about ordination, handling matters involving violations of discipline, resolving disputes within the community, or deciding on new provisions related to virtuous conduct. What is important is that the decision must be made in an official assembly (Saṅgīti), where the members are clearly informed, have the opportunity to express their views, and the result is publicly recorded.

The discourse emphasizes that this method is not merely practical, but also expresses respect for the community and an understanding that no decision is perfect when all members have their own views. The majority, determined by counting votes or by clear voting, becomes the valid standard.