..续本文上一页onstantly bear his duties in mind if he is to contribute to the true prosperity of the religion. Otherwise, the establishment of this department will be empty and in vain, yielding no full-fledged benefits.

　　The point to remember is that the governance of the Sangha in Thailand is of three sorts:

　　A. Governance by regulation and law — the legislative act setting up the constitution of the Sangha; the Sangha directives and by-laws.

　　B. Governance by Vinaya.

　　C. Governance by Dhamma.

　　This is all it comes down to. If we were to discuss this point in detail, there would be much more to say.

　　Now, however, we will go on to discuss Part II.

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　　II. The Department of Education

　　Education in Buddhism — of the kind that gives knowledge conducive to the prosperity of the religion — is of three sorts, as follows:

　　A. Sutamaya-pañña: Discernment acquired through study.

　　People who are learned (bahusuta) — who have studied and memorized a great deal — fall into two groups. The first group contains those who have studied in line with the curriculum of the Department, i.e., the official textbooks known as "Nak Dhamma" (literally, Dhamma expert) levels l, 2, and 3; or the Pali courses, levels 3-9. Whether or not one passes the examinations is not important. What is important is the knowledge gained. This sort of education gives rise to one level of understanding, termed sutamaya-pañña — discernment acquired through study.

　　The second group contains those who study on their own — listening to sermons, reading textbooks, studying the Vinaya, Suttas, and Abhidhamma; discussing questions with one another (dhamma-sakaccha), which can lead to understanding on a higher level, so that one may apply one”s knowledge to training oneself.

　　Both groups are classed as being on the elementary level of education in the study of Buddhism.

　　The study of memorized doctrine (pariyatti dhamma) is of three sorts —

　　1. Studying like a snake (alagaddupama-pariyatti): This refers to a person who has studied and is thoroughly knowledgeable, but who makes himself poisonous to others. The deadly venom of a monk is sensual defilement, which includes raga — infatuation and delight in sensual objects; dosa — irritation, displeasure, a strong mental poison that darkens the heart, annihilating whatever merit is there, destroying its own goodness. When this happens, the really deadly poisons appear: kodha — anger; and moha — delusion, confusion about one”s own good and evil, seeing right as wrong and wrong as right, being unreasonable and misguided in one”s views. All of this is classed as delusion, a poison buried deep in the heart.

　　Thus to gain an education without then conducting oneself in line with the Dhamma can be called studying like a snake. Such a person makes himself into a cobra”s head, spreading his venom into anyone who comes near. To consort with such a person is to consort with a fool and can poison the mind, drawing it into evil and unskillful ways, such as searching for well-being with reference only to this lifetime, without looking for what is more worthwhile — one”s well-being in future lifetimes — or for what is most worthwhile: the liberation of nibbana.

　　2. Studying for the sake of emancipation (nissaranattha-pariyatti): When we have studied the Dhamma and Vinaya and learned what is good and evil, right and wrong, skillful and unskillful, we shouldn”t do whatever we see as wrong or harmful to ourselves and others. Instead, we should develop whatever is gracious and good, benefiting ourselves and others in any of the following three ways: Having learned the factors that promote well-being in the present life, we should give rise to them for ourselves …

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