Question

saptdhikaraa-amatha. Seven rules given in the Vinaya for settling disputes among the monks. Disputes arise from causes : from arguments; from discovery of misconduct; judgment and punishment of such; the correctness or otherwise of a religious observance. The seven rules are : 现前毗尼 samukha-vinaya, face to face evidence, or appeal to the law; 忆念毗尼 smti-vinaya, witness or proof; 不痴毗尼 amha-vinaya, irresponsibility, e.g. lunacy; 自言毗尼 tatsvabhavaiya-vinaya, voluntary confession; 多语毗尼 pratijkraka-vinaya, decision by majority vote; 罪处所毗尼 yadbhyasikya-vinaya, condemnation of unconfessed sin by the 白四 or japticaturthin method, i.e. to make a statement and ask thrice for judgment; 草覆地毗尼 tastraka-vinaya. , i.e. covering the mud with straw, i.e. in protracted disputes the appointment by each side of an elder to spread the straw of the law over the mud of the dispute.