A Mahayana Buddhist community recently issued a revised Pratimoksha (Buddhist Monk Code), equivalent to a rule governing Christian religious order. The list is strikingly up-to-date in some ways. Among other offenses, it lists:
15. A bhikshu who keeps in his possession toxic cultural items such as worldly films, video tapes, music and electronic games commits an offence which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
16. A bhikshu who keeps a television, video player, karaoke player, electronic games machine and any other kind of equipment used for showing worldly films, listening to worldly music and playing electronic games commits an offence which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
18. A bhikshu, who invests money, or buys stocks and shares, commits an offence which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
[From a later list of lesser offenses:]
39. A bhikshu who goes as a spectator to sporting events, worldly cinema or worldly concerts commits an offence for which he must express regret.
41. A bhikshu who watches television programs whose content is toxic because it waters the seeds of fear, violence, anger, hatred, killing and craving commits an offence for which he must express regret.
42. A bhikshu who uses the internet without another fellow-practitioner sitting beside him as a protection against losing himself in toxic programs, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
43. A bhikshu who makes use of or consumes images or sounds which excite sexual desire, from the internet or the telephone [NOTE: That’s apparently a reference to phone sex] commits an offence for which he must express regret.
44. A bhikshu who has his private e-mail account with the result that he spends an inordinate amount of time in making unnecessary communications or communications which foster attachment commits an offence for which he must express regret.
46. A bhikshu who plays electronic games including those on the computer, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
47. A bhikshu who gambles or bets on football matches, horse races or car races and so on, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
48. A bhikshu, who plays the lottery commits an offence for which he must express regret.
49. A bhikshu, who drives in a careless and negligent manner, swerving on corners, shooting forward or racing with another car, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
50. A bhikshu who uses an expensive and flashy car which draws the attention of people, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
52. A bhikshu, who has cosmetic surgery in order to improve his appearance, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
It’s interesting to read the Pratimoksha because, like the law of any group, it expresses what the group considers important–as well as what they as a group have problems with. It’s also interesting to read it from a canonical perspective, as this kind of rule is functions basically as the Buddhist equilvalent of canon law (as well as the equivalent of a monastic rule). It has a variety of offenses of various grades with various punishments (including permanent expulsion from the monastery) as remedies.
Human nature is much the same everywhere, and so it is not surprising to find rules about managing the order’s financial resources, modesty, anger management, and sexual offenses. There are even regulations against the Buddhist equivalent of doffing your clericals and dressing as a layman:
63. A bhikshu who when going into a town, village or market puts on lay dress or wears a wig, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
Some of the items could be found with only slight variation in the rule of a Christian order. Others, from a Christian perspective, are extreme or simply incomprehensible, for example:
60. A bhikshu who enters a wine or coffee bar where the lighting is dim in order to quench his thirst or to sit and watch people coming and going, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
61. A bhikshu who goes to a lay person’s house or a restaurant to attend a birthday party or a wedding reception, commits an offence for which he must express regret.
Interesting. I had a couple of friends who stayed in a Budhist monastary once and they said they (the monks) watched a lot of television. Perhaps it was a different order.