Changing Society

　　社會的變動：

　　When society changes, monks cannot remain as traditionalists without adapting to the changes, although they have renounced the worldly life. People who cannot understand this situation criticize the behavior of certain monks because of those changes.

　　However, when the monks want to amend even certain minor precepts, they would have to do it with the sanction of a recognized Sangha Council. Inpidual monks are not at liberty to change any Vinaya rules according to their whims and fancies. Such a Council of Sangha members can also impose certain sanction against monks who have committed serious violations of the disciplinary code and whose behavior discredits the Sangha. The Buddha instituted the Council to help monks to prevent evil deeds and avoid temptation in a worldly life. The rules were guidelines rather than inviolable laws handed down by some pine authority.

　　當社會改變時，僧衆也無法依據傳統，不作改變，雖然他們已經放棄了世間的生活。有些人無法諒解，僧人根據社會改變而作出的相應改變。若僧人想要修改任何戒條，都必須獲得僧團的批准和通過。個別僧人是無權修改或更動任何戒條。僧團有權根據僧團的需要而增加戒條。佛陀指示僧團協助僧衆防止邪惡和世間的誘惑。戒律只是一種生活的指導，不是「神」的旨意，或掌握在「神」手中的無上權力。

　　In Asian countries particularly, monks are accorded great respect and reverence. Lay people respect them as teachers of the Dhamma and as men who have sacrificed the worldly life in order to lead a holy life. Monks devote themselves to the study and practice of the Dhamma and do not earn a living. Laymen, therefore, see to their material well-being while they in turn look to the monks for their spiritual needs.

　　在亞洲國家，出家人受到普遍的尊重。信衆把出家人當作是引導他們脫離苦惱，過著神聖生活和教導佛法的導師。僧衆無私的指點佛法的學習和實踐，並不要求物質的回報。因此，信衆也爲僧衆提供了生活的必需品，以換取精神的需要。

　　As such, monks are expected to conduct themselves in such a way that will earn them the respect and reverence of the public. If, for example, a monk is seen in a disreputable place, he will be criticized even if he is not involved in any immoral action. Therefore, it is the duty of the monks to avoid certain uncongenial surroundings so as to maintain the dignity of the holy Order.

　　因此，僧衆也培養了優良的品德，來換取公衆的信賴和尊敬。如果，一名僧人，在某些不道德的場合出現，雖然他並沒有不道德的行爲，他同樣要受到他人的責難。因此，僧人必須很注意自己的言行舉止，避免僧團的名譽受到傷害。

　　If a monk does not respect the feelings of his lay devotees and behaves according to what he alone thinks is right, then the lay devotees are not bound to look after his needs. There are many instances recorded in the Buddhist Texts that even during the Buddha”s time, lay devotees had refused to look after arrogant, quarrelsome or irresponsible monks. Monks can be criticized for doing certain worldly things which only lay people are at liberty to do.

　　如果，僧人不尊重信衆的感受，自己獨斷獨行，他將被信衆唾棄，不再受到信衆的供養。當佛陀在世時，也有不少不負責任的僧人，受到信衆的唾棄而失去供養，這些實例都詳細的記載于經典裏。僧人從事一些世間的活動，會受到批評，只有在家信徒可以自由的從事世間的活動。