BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code 11) Mv.I.60 lists ten grounds for expelling a novice from his status as a novice: Hebreaks any of his first five precepts; he speaks in dispraise of the Buddha, Dhamma,or Saṅgha; he holds to wrong views (such things as eternalism, fatalism orannihilationism, says the Commentary); or he rapes a bhikkhunī.The Commentary to Mv.I.60 states that a novice who breaks any of his first fiveprecepts has cut himself off from the Triple Refuge, from his teacher, and from hisright to a dwelling in a monastery. He is still a novice, though, and if he sees theerror of his ways and is determined to restrain himself in the future, he may take theTriple Refuge from his teacher again and so be restored to his former status. (TheCommentary adds that a novice who knowingly drinks alcohol in defiance of the fifthprecept may be restored to his status as a novice but may never ordain as abhikkhu in this lifetime. Not all Communities share this view, as it is not supportedby the Canon.) If, however, a novice breaks any of these precepts habitually and isnot determined to restrain himself in the future, he is to be expelled from his statusas a novice.As for the novice who holds to wrong views or who speaks in dispraise of theBuddha, Dhamma, or Saṅgha, the bhikkhus are to instruct him to show him the errorof his ways. If he abandons his views, he is to undergo punishment for anappropriate period (see Mv.I.57-58) and then be allowed to confess his error, so asto return to his former status. If he does not change his ways, he is to be expelledfrom his status as a novice.And as for the novice who rapes a bhikkhunī: The Commentary notes that thiscomes under the breaking of the third precept, but is listed separately because anovice who has sexual intercourse with anyone but a bhikkhunī may be reinstated ifhe sees the error of his ways, whereas one who has raped a bhikkhunī may not —and furthermore, he can never be ordained as a novice or a bhikkhu in this lifetime.(See BMC2, Chapter 14.)Except in the last case, a novice who has been expelled from his status as a novicemay be reordained as a novice if he sees his errors and can convince the bhikkhusthat he will mend his ways in the future.2) The second form of expulsion — expulsion as punishment — is the onementioned in this rule: A novice comes to think that there is nothing wrong with anynovice's having sexual intercourse or breaking any of his other precepts. If heasserts this view, the bhikkhus are to instruct him to show him that it is evil, but ifthey cannot sway him, they are to expel him in the form described in the rule: Hehas no right to claim the Buddha as his teacher and loses his right to live in thesame dwellings with the bhikkhus, although he retains his status as a novice. Thisform of expulsion lasts as long as he has yet to relinquish his view. If and when hedoes relinquish it, he is to be reinstated. The Commentary doesn't say how, but wecan reason from the pattern mentioned above that he should take the Triple Refugefrom his teacher again.390