Whether wisely chose a monk/nun which do not implement the Vinaya as a teacher?

Our journey through the round of rebirth (samsara) has been arduous and unrelenting because we have not penetrated the Four Noble Truths (Dhammas) with the three kinds of Full Understanding (Pariveda). Although the journey through samsāra is so extremely long that its beginning is inconceivable it is known, however, that its termination is, indeed, possible. The important thing in trying to penetrate the Four Noble Truths is the teacher. The Buddha exhorted again and again to seek a teacher. In actual fact, though, The Buddha is the most superior of all teachers. Unfortunately, The Buddha is now no longer here with us. Since the Parinibbāna of our Buddha, the Tipitaka has come to be our teacher as well as trustworthy companion. We are now wholly dependent upon this trustworthy companion for our liberation from samsāra.

Good companions can be sorted into four categories:

1.      the friend that is the power of the teachings as emanated from The Buddha's own lips:

2.      the friend that is the rulings promulgated by the Buddhist Councils' Theras on the record of words to be in accordance with those spoken by The Buddha;

3.      the friend that is the collection of commentaries of the words of The Buddha and,

4.      the friend that is the rulings made by those renowned Mahatheras such as the Mahasivathera, Mahapadumathera and others of the Sinhalese era.

Of these four categories of friends the first one, i.e., the power of the precious words (recorded/documented in Pali) that emanated directly from The Buddha's own lips is, undoubtedly, the best friend. However, the dhammas are extremely profound. The dhammas are very transcendental. For those who do not have the capability to intellectualise, it would be like a little rabbit trying to fathom the ocean. So, it is for certain that we will need the help of the other three friends as well. Our Most Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw had realized all of the above mentioned factors and therefore, all of his Dhamma talks and writings are replete with indispensable references to the Pali Commentaries. All of these texts are aimed at revealing to us how to approach such friends. The Sayadaw has told us that they are meant to act as a bridge or stepping-stone to the Visuddhimagga Commentary. It is the Sayadaw's wish that his students and disciples come to rely on these good friends just as he himself has been relying.If it is so, we need to understand who are the necessary qualifications for a qualified meditation teacher.

A meditation teacher should be good in pratice, well versed in the Tipitaka, and has mastered the skill at teaching. The highest qualification is , of course, the knowledge of a Buddha, which is out of our domain. Since The Buddha and his great disciples are no longer available, the best teacher you can now look for is an Arahant who is well versed in the Tipitaka; the second best is a non-returner; the third best is a once-returner; the fourth best is a stream-enterer.So how could we recognize is he really stream-enterer or not. This is the important thing to do consider. So following questions would make sence of us how to recognize does he reached stream-enterer or not according to the Theravada Monastic codes.

Question : Can a monk or a nun who takes money attain the stream-entry path and fruition?

Answer : According to Theravada teaching, if a Bhikkhu is a real Bhikkhu and takes money, he cannot attain the stream-entry path and fruition.Some Bhikkhus who take money say that they have attained the stream-entry path and fruition. If they are real Bhikkhus it is impossible. Regarding this I need to explain about some Theravada monastic codes. For a person to become a real Bhikkhu, he must fulfill five factors.

The first is a valid case (Vatthusampatti): which means the applicant must be free from faults. He must not killed his father, his mother, and Arahant, wounded The Buddha with evil intention, caused schism in the Sangha, committed sexual intercourse with a Bhikkhuni or Samanari, must not have fixed wrong view and he must be at least twenty years old.

The second factor is a valid chapter of Bhikkhus(Parisasampatti): When he is ordained there must be at least five real Bhikkhus if outside India, and at least ten real Bhikkhus is inside India, including his preceptor, to perform the formal act. If one, two or three of those Bhikkhus have committed a parajika, or if when one or some of those Bhikkhus were ordained not in accordance with the Vinaya rules, then the formal act is invalid.

The third factor is a valid boundary (Simasampatti): The boundary (sima ) must be valid. If the boundary is invalid, for example, the Uposatha hall in it is connected with any building outside the boundary with wires, water pipes etc,then the formal act is also invalid. And the distance between the Bhikkhus who participate in the formal act must be within an extended arm-length (hatthapasa ).

The fourth factor is a valid motion (Battisampatti): One of the Bhikkhus must recite the motion to inform the rest that the applicant is asking for Upasampada with whom as his preceptor. Then it must be followed by three announcements.If the motion and announcements are recited in the wrong order or not recited in full, then the formal act is invalid.

The fifth factor is a valid formal act (Kammavacasampatti): The formal act (Kammavaca) must be recited in correct grammer. If the grammer used is wrong, then the formal act is invalid and the applicant cannot become a real Bhikkhu.

When the five factors just mentioned are fulfilled, then the formal act is valid and the applicant becomes a real Bhikkhu. If a real Bhikkhu takes money and practise Samatha and Vippasana meditation, he cannot attain the stream-entry path and fruition, then he is certainly not a real Bhikkhu. Nowadays in Theravada tradition there is no more Bhikkhuni and Samaneri, so we cannot discuss about them. Now we have only Silashins; we may call them nuns: usually they observe only the eight precepts, which means they can accept money. Many Mahathera say that they should observe ten precepts because they wear robes, so they also should not accept money.

Hopefully these above answer could easily to recognize the teacher is noble one or not. If you cannot find a noble person to be  your teacher, you may look for one who is well versed in the Tipitaka, or at least well versed in two or three Nikayas. Actually it is not easy to fulfil the qualifications to be a good meditation teacher; it takes many years of hard work. Some people can practise well but are not good teaching. Many of you speak good English or Indonesian or Mandarin or French, but can all of you teach to someone these languages effectively? Likewise some meditation teachers do not know how to teach effectively. They do not check the meditators' experiences properly, consequently the meditators do not gain the true knowledge and some even become very confused.This answer might be depicts how to approach good teachers and friends in striving to know the Four Noble Truths. May you seek good teachers and friends very soon.

(Quoted and re-edit from Pa Auk Sayadaw's some Questions and answers during his all overseas retreats).