San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 16Throwing Out a Monastic
Pāli / Sanskrit:Nikkaḍḍhana
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Sutta Nikkaḍḍhana: The Expulsion of a Bhikkhu
Background
The Nikkaḍḍhana Sutta (Finding Out, Expelling) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda tradition of Early Buddhism, situated among the regulations concerning monastic discipline. This text is gathered within the Pātimokkha — the fundamental rules of training that every bhikkhu must uphold. Its context arose from events within the Saṅgha community during the lifetime of the Blessed One, when certain bhikkhus failed to observe discipline or engaged in conduct harmful to the harmony of the monastic body.
The Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation for maintaining proper standards within the community of monastics. The expulsion of a bhikkhu from the Saṅgha is not an arbitrary punishment, but rather a measure of last resort when that individual has repeatedly violated the major rules of training (Pārājika) or has caused serious disruption. This is an expression of the principle of protecting the purity and discipline of the Saṅgha.
Principal Contents
The Nikkaḍḍhana Sutta sets forth the process of expelling a bhikkhu from the Saṅgha according to specific steps and established proofs. First, the Saṅgha must admonish that bhikkhu one, two, or three times concerning his wrongful conduct. If he refuses to reform, the Saṅgha has the authority to carry out a formal resolution (Anumati or Saṅghakamma) to expel that individual from the monastic community.
This process must be carried out in the presence of the Saṅgha, with the participation of bhikkhus who fulfill the legal quorum (bhikkhus of ten or more years' standing in the going-forth). A bhikkhu cannot be expelled for trivial or personal reasons. Such an action is permissible only when that individual has violated the grave rules of training, such as: sexual misconduct, theft, killing, or falsely claiming supernormal attainments.
One who has been expelled will no longer be recognized as a member of the Saṅgha and will no longer be entitled to the privileges of a monastic.
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