Problem of Buddhist Preceptor’s Roles in Questioning and Investigating Those Requesting the Ordination: Case study of Those Addicted to Alcohol and Hard Drugs before Entering the Monkhood

Abstract

This academic article aims to study Buddhist preceptor’s roles in questioning and investigating those requesting the ordination who were addicted to alcohol and hard drugs before entering into the monkhood. People always hear daily news about Buddhist monks who addicted to alcohol and drugs. Some guilt monks are forced to leave the monkhood, they manage to reenter the monkhood and commit an illegal act again. These cases tarnish Buddhism positive image. According to this study, it was found that the preceptor’s screening prior to the Buddhist ordination wasn’t strict enough, thus those addicted to alcohol and drugs could reenter the monkhood. Moreover, parents and relatives of those requesting the ordination failed to pay attention to their son’s sobriety history from alcohol and drugs, they just insisted on their son’s ordination. The problem arisen and was reported in the news about Buddhist monks being addicted to alcohol and drugs inexhaustible. The author argues that the preceptors should perform their role in questioning and investigating those requesting the ordination strictly before permitting their ordination and ensure their parents and relatives know that if those requesting the ordination are addicted to alcohol and drugs, the preceptor has the rights to reject the ordination. Typically, monks should take advantage of existing technologies to record those who were leaving the monkhood that requesting the reenter ordination to monkhood again. These could reassure that the requesting ordination have qualities to carry on and preserve the positive image of Buddhism religion.