Bu As 55. Majority Decision
Pāli / Sanskrit:Yebhuyyasikā
A dispute that drags on without resolution may be settled through majority vote.
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Yebhuyyasikā Sutta: Majority Decision
Background
In the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, the Yebhuyyasikā (Pāli: Yebhuyyasikā) is recorded in the section on rules for handling internal disputes within the Saṅgha. During the lifetime of the Blessed One, he established methods of dispute resolution in order to maintain harmony and discipline within the community of monastics.
The situation arises when disputes within the Saṅgha concerning the Vinaya, the Dharma, or matters of practice are prolonged and cannot be resolved through direct methods such as calm discussion, apology, or bilateral reconciliation. In such cases, the Blessed One guided the community to employ the method of majority decision (Yebhuyyasikā) as a final recourse.
This method reflects a practical approach to community governance: when all other efforts have failed, the community requires a fair means of reaching a decision, ensuring that the view of the majority of its members is respected. This demonstrates that the Blessed One was concerned not only with spiritual ideals, but also with the practical aspects of communal life.
Main Content
The Yebhuyyasikā prescribes that when a dispute within the Saṅgha is prolonged and cannot be resolved through prior methods of reconciliation, the Saṅgha is empowered to conduct a vote in order to arrive at a final decision. A decision is considered official and binding when it has been approved by the majority of Saṅgha members who are of sufficient seniority, possess full legal capacity, and are present at the proceeding.
The process requires solemnity: first, the matter must be clearly presented before the entire Saṅgha; each party is given the opportunity to state their position; thereafter, the Saṅgha proceeds to vote in an open and formal manner. The outcome is incontestable—regardless of whether any individual agrees or not, the decision of the majority becomes the rule of the community.
It is important to note that this method is not to be employed to impose one view upon others or to exclude those who hold differing positions.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.