THE ROLE OF THE VINAYA IN STRUCTURING MONASTIC HIERARCHY IN THERAVĀDA BUDDHISM

The Buddhists establish strong respect and friendship with bhikkhus and elders who are respected within the entire community of monastics in Myanmar as created by the Vinaya disciplinary norms. The purpose of this essay is, therefore, to explain the impact of such rules on bhikkhus' respect, seniority and mentorship of the elders who are also senior monks. Certain principles govern monastic life, a good example being the Vinaya, which fosters adherence to respect and submission to older members of the community. Such relationships guarantee the transfer and upholding of the monastic way of life whereby elder bhikkhus guide junior bhikkhus in their moral training and qualification. Globalization and modernity cut across lines of traditional maturity in social and cultural norms, leading to tensions in the relationships between bhikkhus and elder bhikkhus. Monks newly introduced to secular learning and training, poorly obey such teachings, an act that raises friction with the orders. This paper explores these frictions while assessing the significance of elder-bhikkhu relations as a source of order within the Sangha. Employing a theoretical framework and selected case studies, this paper is concerned with the future direction of such evolving relationships and their impact on monastic discipline in Myanmar. It demonstrates once again the significance that the Vinaya holds for the construction of respectful and functional social relations in the monk community.