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[chuanguan]

So I have this wish or vision for monastic training in Singapore. As a monk, I see a strong need to have proper guidance and training in both the teachings of Buddhism and also in establishing the right motivation for being a monk. A good part of this is in the sutras, but are mostly found in the dialogues between the Buddha and his disciples which are in the Agamas / Nikayas and hence may not be commonly taught or not taught in a monastic context.

It is always different when monastic rules are taught in the class room vs actually observed together as a community.

In my limited visits and stays to monasteries in the Mahayana and Theravada tradtions, spanning US, Singapore, Taiwan, Myanmar and Australia, both city monasteries and forest monasteries, I've repeatedly found that the ones that have a healthy monastic community is the one that balances learning in theory and application in practice.

Through the visits and stays, I thought it would be good for Singapore to also develop and strengthen its monastic order through a more well-defined monastic training programme. I don't dare to assume that I'm an authority in this nor have an adequate depth of training to qualify as one to put up such a programme, but I hope this can serve to trigger such a development. It may take years to complete and many more years to fine tune it and I hope everyone who read this post will offer their comments and suggestions.

I will post the training programme's framework in a shortwhile. Thank you for your patience.

EDIT:
Here's a brief overview.

Specific details are not in and should be determined by each community though some specific teachings are recommended for some sections.

Year	Phase	Precepts	Meditation	Wisdom	Others
1	Upassika	Five Precepts, Learn Eight Precepts	Breathing & Walking Meditation	Basic Buddhism	Basic Chanting
2	Anagarika	Eight Precepts, Learn Ten Precepts, Khandhaka Rules	Breathing & Walking Meditation	Basic Buddhism II	Basic Chanting
3	Sramanera	Ten Precepts, Learn Praktimoksha (Bhikshu Rules), Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting
4	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting
5	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting
6	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting, Mentoring
7	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting, Mentoring
8	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction, Chanting, Public Speaking
9	Bhikshu	Praktimoksha, Learn Praktimoksha, Khandhaka Rules	Satipatthana Meditation	Sutra studies and contemplations	Community Transaction Chanting, Public Speaking

[chuancheng]

brilliant idea but hardly realistic for contemporary Buddhist colleges to adopt.

I used to point finger at the system of Chinese Buddhist College when I was studying in one. Now i still do that when i get a chance but only at other aspects as I have found firsthand that there are too many obstacles to remove for having a system that makes perfect sense. Generally speaking it is not possible for anyone to have an ideal system unless he 1) has enough money and facilities;2) seriously wants to have one for the sake of the Sangha's future; 3) either knows how to do it or fully supports those who do. The list can go on. Of course, if we don't want the college to be academic, things may gets easier, but some factors of the aforementioned still count. If that is the way you have in mind, you need to give more years for training, and your institute is no more than a monastery that has a special running system, furnishing trainees by aging.

Whatever the nature of the training system is, one thing is extremely important to make it really work, that is the system designer has to be very well versed in Buddhist tripitakas and has at least couple of decades' experience in practicing Buddhism. After all, a trainee need to be mature in both doctrine and practice.  I honestly think I myself need another 20 years of concentrated hard working to be qualified as a trainer, which means I am far from being one at the moment and will not be one if I carry on living as the way i am doing. No false modest here I can promise you that, for my conclusion is drawn from what I have been doing so far.

look forward to seeing your framework.

[chuanguan]

I have confidence in the Buddhist community that this can work out, though I do recognise that there are many things that need finetuning.

For myself, I find that the preliminary years of a monastic life is very crucial. From the moment he decides to become a monk, until he ordains as one, he needs to be inculcated the right values and motives behind monkhood. With that developed, then the Bhikshu's Training Rules would make a lot of sense; likewise for the different forms of preliminary (such as chanting of sutra and mantra etc) and meditation training required of a monk.

I think as a monk, we have the duty to share what we are learning and practising, even if we are not a master in it. It can be seen more as peer-learning or mentoring than a Master-student relationship. Bearing in mind your comment, I will keep you in mind in the next 20 years if this programme pans out.

Note to all:
At this point, please limit your comments to the following format:
1. Possible problem
2. Suggested solution

or

1. Additional modules to be covered etc

---------------------------------------------------
Another thing that was reflected to me by Chinese Mahayana monks I've met from various countries is that there is a tendency for Buddhist Colleges to teach topics in Buddhism as separate silos from each other. So many of them leave the college with a fragmented overview of each tradition and branches of schools in Buddhism but has no clear 'roadmap' for their spiritual practice and are unable to see a clear link between what they have learnt with relation to the spiritual life.

The approach taken by some Masters instead, is to constantly align the students back to Enlightenment as the Goal (以涅槃為上首). So whether one is observing the Precepts or practising Sutra, Mantra recitation, meditation or learning about the History of Buddhism, Life of the Buddha, Agamas, Madhyamikha, Yogacara or TianTai, one is aligned back to the Path to Enlightenment. The classes gives content, and Enlightenment gives the direction.

This is one critical part of the framework that I hope can be developed and perhaps adopted where applicable.

[chuancheng]

The huge problem i can think of right now is that without mastering the so-called "Three Practices [三学] how can we guide the students towards the right path? To be precise, if there is not a  ready-to-use and updated version of vinaya rules, if the apocryphal sutras are not marked and removed, if the discrepant views found in the sutras are not worked out, how right can our guidance be? If we ourselves are not experienced in meditation, how can we know there are other meditation technique other than satipatthana? Of course, all these problems hold true  for the running of Buddhist colleges, that is why I do not think the current system of Buddhist college education is ideal in terms of the individual's spiritual pursuit. So, both your system and that used by nowadays Buddhist colleges need guidance from true masters.

But I totally agree that learning should be all along the line of spiritual pursuit and for the purpose of getting enlightened.

[chuanguan]

The vinaya rules that we have is read-to-use; it really depends on one's community to use it or not. In the monastery in US that I was in, the various vinaya rules are taught, explained and observed. In the various monasteries in Taiwan, it is also done accordingly. In the few forest monasteries I've visited in US and Australia, they have also applied vinaya rules to their monastic lives. I am fortunate to have learnt the rules from a Vinaya Master and lived in a community that valued the observation of the precepts. The important thing I noticed is the living tradition, as it brings life to the rules.

But you brought up an important point, that application of the system need guidance form true masters. I believe as monks, we should observe the training rules with or without true masters. I was fortunate to have learnt under a Vinaya Master and have the environment to practise and apply it. It was also a blessing that the forest monasteries that I've visited and stayed with were kind enough to share with me their learnings and application in different context.

Note that I am not trying to convince you that I'm a vinaya master, true or otherwise. All I know is that I know what I was trained in, and I actively continue my learning and training on the vinaya, instead of just skipping the rules because there is no true vinaya master around. And I believe our Shifu (Abbot, Master Kwangsheng) should be able to guide us on some of the vinaya rules when we encounter queries on them. Let's focus on the goal and not let negativity become a hindrance.

If you read my preamble, you would have known that the one that I've proposed is a framework. A framework is just a guideline or outline that defines a few key elements that should be there. We definitely need more work to fill in the details.  Let's not be so presumptuous to think that I was attempting to outline a comprehensive programme in a single page, when practise manuals like Lam Rim Chengmo, Visuddhi-magga and Yogacara bumi sastra all span thousands* of pages. Perhaps you failed to see that, but I was not doing that. I am proposing a framework for the monastic community in Singapore. And the only reason I post it up here is to invite comments and suggestions from buddhists monastics to help develop it. If it were ready, I would have submitted it to Master to have it implemented. So let's keep our comments in perspective.

In addition, I would like to highlight that this programme is not so much as targeted at the students in BCS, but Singapore monasteries  in general. Of course, if Shifu (Abbot, Master Kwangsheng) finds it suitable after finetuning, I would be happy to offer it for implementation.

Lastly, thanks again for your comments. Keep them coming. But let's try to focus on the solution and not get stuck with the problem. Thank you.

EDIT: * Depending on font size and editions, some may 'only' be hundreds or close to a thousand page. But you get the drift.

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

Amitabha!
           读了之后非常同意说七众弟子应该篇定修学内容。佛遗教：佛住世以佛为师，佛灭后以戒为师。特别是佛诫弟子，初五夏当专精学戒，学成才允以学余定慧。还有佛说比丘当学会二部僧众明二部的开遮持犯，罪的轻重，应不同的罪的处罚。Bhikkhu need to be well versed in both bhikkhu and bhikkhuni pratimokkha, before he is qualified to be the acariya. So it is important for each disciples to learn their precepts(Vinaya)(戒) well before they learn 定学 and 慧学。在家者也有其戒应当学好。这些学好后才进而学其他的定慧学。最好先从四圣谛，八正道，五蕴，五盖，十二因缘等三十七道品，三归五戒等学习。再学唯识懂得法相的行蕴时，再般若系，方等大乘，一乘圆融。（这些只是我一些的感想草拟。）您的七众篇排的修学table, is not bad.
                                                                                                            优婆塞乘睦。

[chuanguan]

Hello bakpengtan,

Thanks for your reply. Just got back for awhile from Myanmar, so only replying now.

Hopefully, such a framework is helpful while being realistic in application.
I do need to qualify that the common understanding of "初五夏当专精学戒" does not and should not prevent one from learning and practising meditation in parallel. Matter of fact, one of the very purpose of the training rules is to support the learning and practising of meditation (in Buddhism, it would be samatha 止 and vipassana 觀) and not as an end in itself.

I like your suggestion on some of the broad topics as well. I'll flesh out the framework with some of these and continue to work on it.

Again, thanks for your suggestions and do keep them coming.

[chuanguan]

One more point ... ...
I'm thinking that the framework will include some 'core' modules that are part of the framework while some modules are category place-holders or monikers with recommended syllabus or topics. Lastly, there may be some modules that are 'optional'.

Core Modules
eg. Four Noble Truth, Eight Fold Path etc

Category Modules (Recommended Module List)
* Samatha Meditation: (RML) Forty Objects of meditation, Recitation of Buddha's name, Visualisation of Buddha's Images etc
* Vipassana Meditation: (RML) Satipatthana, Sunyatta vipassana etc
* Lineage specific practices:
- Chants:  Paritta Chants, Tibetan Offering Prayers, Chinese Mahayana LiangHuangBaoChan ... etc

Optional Modules
* ok, I cannot think of any modules that is optional without offending some tradition or community, so I'll leave this open for now ...

Thoughts?

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

Amitabha!
       For the 初五夏当专精学戒 i agree with u that it can learn or practise in parrallel with the meditation for it does not prevent one from learning other thing, and also the purpose of training rules is to support the learning and practsing of the meditation.  The purpose of buddha laying down vinaya rules for each of the 七众弟子 is to maintain the order in the community and morality. Vinaya rules for those willing to practise it faithfully will also train them to be better in their body speech and mind also the vinaya effects supporting the learning of meditation and others, for vinaya have 2 types 止持 and 作持.Each of these types will supports the learning of meditation and others for which to be done not done and those not to be done being done, its supports by letting them to hold on to a correct way of learning. So actually can be done parrellel in practise. Buddha laid down rules and in his lifetime to promote it is to hope students and disciples to maintain order in sangha community, also before his nirvana, ananda ask buddha," 佛住世以佛为师，佛灭后以谁为师？" Buddha repiled that " 佛灭后当以戒为师". Buddha places vinaya as the same status with him is to show disciples and students that vinaya its importance in ones own practise and the order in my buddhism community, and also that ones implements into his life will promotes harmony (as order is kept) to the society. Especially 末法, one should know the importance and keeps to it, at the same time when practising meditation there will be mental image arises (nimitta or vedana) in this it will show whether do or not the practictioners keeps its sila, as sila will counters with its opponents, if firm in sila practise then it will not follow it to broke the precepts. So actually it can practise parallel with others but nowadays ppl do not really understands the importance and the buddha's intentions. So when i saw ur tables i was  .
          Also, i thinks that most buddhists do not really have systems in learning buddhism. Most reads and listen to talks do not have fundamentals that when they listen and reads they get confused with differents teachings. So like the 般若性空 and 幻有，真空妙有，三观；空，假，中观....So actually they didn't know or understands what they reading and listening, they actually get confused. Even there is a place organizing buddhism studies where like ordinary educational systems breaking into primary, secondary, ite,jc or poly,university. Those who sign up for the higer confusing buddhism studies though there is systems in it but personally they are lacks of fundamentals. So i thinks that for those higher studies should admits those that had learn fundamentals before or should at least a small simple admittance tests to see if they have any fundamentals. So your core modules like four noble truths, eight noble paths,十二因缘，六根六尘六识...etc. is the basic or fundamentals one should have in buddhism, or otherwise more historic studies like starting of buddhism in buddha's time, how it extended propogates into china,tibet,sri lanka,or those in differents lineage its formations, china ten differents 宗etc. There is this 佛教三字经，by 吹万老人，edited by 印光大师，printed by 杨仁山居士 is a fundamentals divided into categories.法界观。十宗和其宗旨核心。十二处，十八界。佛教传入东土。。。。etc. This book is quite nice when it divided into categories for easier understanding and its listed out systematically of the buddhism. That what i can thinks of now.Haha...Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[chuanguan]

Hello Bak,

Good to have this conversation going ... I was wondering if our somewhat belated replies would lead to a dead thread ... thankfully not.

Good good ... ... let me digest some of your materials. They would be helpful in fine tuning the framework.

I also have another framework (yes, color me meticulous, I'm into framework, roadmaps et al) which encompasses the 7 fold (usually referred to by the Buddha as four-fold. Some attribute it to that samaneras, etc were 1) not introduced into immediately, and 2) only the fully ordained monks and nuns are considered to be full members of the sangha. ... but I digress ... ) ... ... so that at the end of the day, there is a piece of cake for everyone.

Will share that at a later stage.

Till then, everyone, keep the suggestions and thoughts coming. Thanks!

With Dharma Joy!

Amitabha!
       For the 初五夏当专精学戒 i agree with u that it can learn or practise in parrallel with the meditation for it does not prevent one from learning other thing, and also the purpose of training rules is to support the learning and practsing of the meditation.  The purpose of buddha laying down vinaya rules for each of the 七众弟子 is to maintain the order in the community and morality. Vinaya rules for those willing to practise it faithfully will also train them to be better in their body speech and mind also the vinaya effects supporting the learning of meditation and others, for vinaya have 2 types 止持 and 作持.Each of these types will supports the learning of meditation and others for which to be done not done and those not to be done being done, its supports by letting them to hold on to a correct way of learning. So actually can be done parrellel in practise. Buddha laid down rules and in his lifetime to promote it is to hope students and disciples to maintain order in sangha community, also before his nirvana, ananda ask buddha," 佛住世以佛为师，佛灭后以谁为师？" Buddha repiled that " 佛灭后当以戒为师". Buddha places vinaya as the same status with him is to show disciples and students that vinaya its importance in ones own practise and the order in my buddhism community, and also that ones implements into his life will promotes harmony (as order is kept) to the society. Especially 末法, one should know the importance and keeps to it, at the same time when practising meditation there will be mental image arises (nimitta or vedana) in this it will show whether do or not the practictioners keeps its sila, as sila will counters with its opponents, if firm in sila practise then it will not follow it to broke the precepts. So actually it can practise parallel with others but nowadays ppl do not really understands the importance and the buddha's intentions. So when i saw ur tables i was  .
          Also, i thinks that most buddhists do not really have systems in learning buddhism. Most reads and listen to talks do not have fundamentals that when they listen and reads they get confused with differents teachings. So like the 般若性空 and 幻有，真空妙有，三观；空，假，中观....So actually they didn't know or understands what they reading and listening, they actually get confused. Even there is a place organizing buddhism studies where like ordinary educational systems breaking into primary, secondary, ite,jc or poly,university. Those who sign up for the higer confusing buddhism studies though there is systems in it but personally they are lacks of fundamentals. So i thinks that for those higher studies should admits those that had learn fundamentals before or should at least a small simple admittance tests to see if they have any fundamentals. So your core modules like four noble truths, eight noble paths,十二因缘，六根六尘六识...etc. is the basic or fundamentals one should have in buddhism, or otherwise more historic studies like starting of buddhism in buddha's time, how it extended propogates into china,tibet,sri lanka,or those in differents lineage its formations, china ten differents 宗etc. There is this 佛教三字经，by 吹万老人，edited by 印光大师，printed by 杨仁山居士 is a fundamentals divided into categories.法界观。十宗和其宗旨核心。十二处，十八界。佛教传入东土。。。。etc. This book is quite nice when it divided into categories for easier understanding and its listed out systematically of the buddhism. That what i can thinks of now.Haha...Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

Hello shi fu!
         Our conversation won't come to a dead thread one lah! Because after so many years of learning dharma, recent this few years i found that myself is the same as i have mentioned earlier no system in learning and become very complicated in buddhism and find that buddha always like to contradiction itself. So after realizing this problem i balek organise me thoughts and learning and also want to plan something in system to easier 点到学习的核心 and also to 善巧方便 in planing things that system can easier implements to let learners learn. Especially since i come in contact with the buddhism i read mostly of those 清末民初的老和尚books, such as  the venerables, 虚云老和尚，倓虚和尚，印光大师。。。etc. So my 思想 got influence by them like its 末法，the importance of vinaya which the 虚云和尚 says now ppl is 佛学，in the past ppl is 学佛。 and they also emphasize of the importance of the vinaya. So when i read in the forum on the monastic training that you posted i was happy to see it and join in the conversation which initially only just you and the chuancheng fashi. When i saw ur last reply on that you will "digest" the materials i was scared because my english is always on the border line since i was in primary school so i thought that i have expressed myself very poorly in english which you need "digestion". Sorry! However i was better in my chinese which i don't need revision before the exam. But if i need to type in chinese i will be slow as i need to find the words and before i finished typing one sentence my thoughts will be a few miles away from the typed sentence, while typing english can be faster. HaHa... .
        Back to topic on the monastic traing on the previous posting.So i think that vinaya is important for example; if a person was rich in thoughts always thinking of things to improve a situations and it always just having empty talks and theories than it can only enriched ppl in the minds. So its important to actually imlements it into life so that its actually helps in reality and also on the other hand enriched ppl with knowledge. Just like vinaya when especially buddha put vinaya as the same status as him of a guiding teacher. So i agreed with you that could practise parallel but need to place vinaya as a basis. So if a person was to be riched in knowledge and puts forth the sila practising to be the homework of a 律宗律师 then its not respecting sila as the same status of buddha as a teacher which mentioned earlier in previous posting. I also always thinks that one when learning dharma should remembers the 六祖标月指的公案。one should thru words understand what its really wants to expressed not 执著on the meanings of the words. just like 头痛，脚痛 if u understand by the words meaning it is also 痛 but in reality its totally diffrent feeling. so one should thru words understands the expressed feeelings not 执著 on the words meanings, and also when learning dharma one should remembers that buddhism is not like normal worldly learning, every theories is on the basis of real life experience to be practised and to attained enligtenment, so not to learn on the enriching of minds of knowledge but to learn to practise practically to really understands what the scriptures wanted to express in enlightenment, to 减少习气证悟实理。Which those venerables emphasize of 解行并重. So i thinks this should be kept for anyone wishes to learn so that they can actually benefits from the actual intentions of buddha sperading dharma to the world is to eliminates ppl from the defilements and to attain the nirvana/ enlightenment. So today i just post this parts of my thoughts. Before i could think of more or recall my memories on the dharma learnings.HaHa.... . Have a nice day!

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

I have read this of one of the posts of chuanguan shifu;

" In the context of the sutra, the emphasis seem to be on the appropriate behaviour for monks when they gather. In other sutras (including the Vinaya rules), monks are advised not to gather to talk about the kings, robbers, food, talk of the village etc etc. Rather, they should have Dhamma discussions.

And yes, to simply start practising without learning the teachings, is like someone who goes out to build a boat without learning about physics, bouyancy, naval architecture etc. On the other hand, pure learning can become overly scholastic and ungrounded. It would be like someone who stay in the inlands and study about physics, bouyancy, naval architecture but never once built a boat." This quite a good reminder for one in the practise.

         Continuing from the earlier post. I thnk that 佛法 can be divided into two parts 法性 and 法相. If a scriptures or doctrine is explaing from the stand of 法性 then it will be a bit "chim" but if it was explaining from the 法相 it will be quite okay but a bit complicated, just like the 唯识 is belonging to the 法相. 唯识 actually is quite a good book and if one truly understand the concepts and it can really benefits one in the practise. I also always thought that when one is learning the dharma one should honour and 珍惜经典。one should reminds themselves that all these scriptures are the bloodshed and hardwork of the venerables, can imagine that tranports back to those days is so 落后 which they translates with care and before this they have to actually 翻山越岭，日奔波，夜寒宿。continue later.

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

Sorry about that, because i do not have any pc at home so i need to come down to the NLB to use the comp at 3 cents/min, and i have expired the session on the express station so i had to move to normal station.
         

I have read this of one of the posts of chuanguan shifu;

" In the context of the sutra, the emphasis seem to be on the appropriate behaviour for monks when they gather. In other sutras (including the Vinaya rules), monks are advised not to gather to talk about the kings, robbers, food, talk of the village etc etc. Rather, they should have Dhamma discussions.

And yes, to simply start practising without learning the teachings, is like someone who goes out to build a boat without learning about physics, bouyancy, naval architecture etc. On the other hand, pure learning can become overly scholastic and ungrounded. It would be like someone who stay in the inlands and study about physics, bouyancy, naval architecture but never once built a boat." This quite a good reminder for one in the practise.

         Continuing from the earlier post. I thnk that 佛法 can be divided into two parts 法性 and 法相. If a scriptures or doctrine is explaing from the stand of 法性 then it will be a bit "chim" but if it was explaining from the 法相 it will be quite okay but a bit complicated, just like the 唯识 is belonging to the 法相. 唯识 actually is quite a good book and if one truly understand the concepts and it can really benefits one in the practise. I also always thought that when one is learning the dharma one should honour and 珍惜经典。one should reminds themselves that all these scriptures are the bloodshed and hardwork of the venerables, can imagine that tranports back to those days is so 落后 which they translates with care and before this they have to actually 翻山越岭，日奔波，夜寒宿。continue later.

          So can we imagine those books handling in our hands is actually all the hardworks shed by the venerables which we now take for granted, and we actually not treasuring it nor do we appreciates and learn from it. When the first time i came up with this thoughts i was moved by their compassion for us which they took the hardships to collects scriptures, learn sanskrit, travelling(definitely not like us having a confortable journey on planes, ships...), translating with a partners to confirmn the translated text for accuracy on its sanskrlts meanings. We actually just really takes things in granted.惭愧！惭愧！So i always thought that if we could have this few points in mind we can actually benefits in learning , practising or even really gains in it. . 共勉之！阿弥陀佛！

[sunthenmoon]

As a home-based Buddhist, I am delighted to know that there are monks here with great aspirations. I'd like to suggest a few ideas:
1) Starting out in the Chinese-speaking Sangha world, you can work towards more unity. From there, you can hold conferences and commission panels of experts to study the essence of the ancient rules, and develop a listing of rules that are more relevant today. For example, since most of the developed countries have access to tap water, it's no longer necessary to filter water to avoid killing worms found in raw water. Similarly, since most people are habitually using the toothbrush today, you don't need to chew barks. Instead, you could make new rules like prohibition of the use of insecticide, use of online chatting software and forums for idle chats, spreading rumors or cursing. Similarly, you might want to set a rule for every single Sangha member to make a declaration to disclose all private financial holdings. Instead of expecting all Sangha members to go out to the streets with just an alms bowl and without even a penny---which would make it impossible for him to even travel by bus or MRT---why not make him declare online every single cent he has. You can also set the maximum amount of petty cash that a monk can keep outside the electronically recorded accounts such as bank accounts and gold certificates to $20-50. This is to make it easy for him to use cash to make payments for his public transport services or food. All his withdrawals (eg to buy air tickets for flights to attend Buddhism seminars overseas, to print Sutras for free distribution), deposits, etc to his bank accounts, and the number of other kinds of property he has (eg condo, car, watch) would be disclosed publicly, like what senior public servants do. The ethical standard for Sangha members should be even higher than that set for worldly public servants and ministers. In this way, the Sangha can make it more difficult for greedy people intending to use their Sangha identity to cheat money to survive. Better still, the local Buddhist Federation should make every Sangha member register himself/herself with it and make a legally binding declaration to observe this rule before he/she can maintain the Sangha membership. This will be a big step towards internal cleansing and ridding the Sangha of unethical members who can only spoil the image of the Sangha and, indirectly, the Buddha. For those Sangha members who cannot abide by these strict rules, they should seriously reconsider whether Sangha is suitable. If they are using the Sangha to become millionaires, they should quit asap and stop sinning.