Judgment on Nagarjuna Training Institute

Case 53-2020: Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) & Dh. Lokamitra  & Dh. Vivekratna

ETHICAL JUDGMENT

Dear Prosecutor, Ambassador and Members of the Jury of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) & Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding Case 53-2020 on “Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna”, on February 11, 2020, it is hereby recorded that the trial to analyze the violation of Buddhist Ethics carried out by the accused has been concluded. This Case has been carried out as a result of the complaint made by Visuddhaloka Welfare Association, a member institution of the United Buddhist Nations Organization.

After analyzing the presentation of the Case and the validation of evidence, the Committee has proceeded with voting of four members of the Jury, confirming that there was 1 vote considering the accused as Innocent and 3 votes considering “Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) & Dh . Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna” as “Responsible” for the serious crimes of Corruption, Scam and Illegal appropriation, Illicit Association or Organized Crime, Defamation and Violation of Buddhist Law.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee has been able to verify that “Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna” have Violated the Buddhist Law by trying to appropriate something that does not belong to them: the Visuddhaloka Welfare Association. This illegal action was carried out in order to recover the economic funds that they had donated in the past. This suggests that the accused ones are considered themselves as shareholders and not as donors. In addition, the accused have submitted no evidence against the Visuddhaloka Welfare Association, and therefore their accusations constitute Defamation acts. The accused party was given the opportunity to present evidence yet they decided not to, despite the fact that such evidence would have demonstrated not only the Innocence of “Nagarjuna Training Institute (NTI) & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna” but it would also have definitely shown that Visuddhaloka Welfare Association is corrupt. However, this has not happened. The fact that they try to recover the economic funds donated in the past, by trying to expropriate the Visuddhaloka institution, constitutes an illegitimate means of resolving the matter, since rather they should have resorted to a third party playing the role as a mediator or judge (whether state or private), as is the case with the Ethics Committee. In this regard, Visuddhaloka Welfare Association requested the intermediation of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee, and even challenged the directors of Nagarjuna Training Institute to present evidence of their accusations. This legal challenge was not responded by the defendants, who have behaved illegally when carrying out their claims.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee makes clear the fact that Visuddhaloka Welfare Association has not been judged, since no evidence was presented against this institution, but the case has been against the misbehavior of Nagarjuna Training Institute & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna, who have tried to resolve conflicts through inappropriate means. In this way, if the accused would have good intentions, they would not only present evidence supporting their allegations, but would have even sued the Visuddhaloka Welfare Association, seeking to legally recover the donated funds, instead of attempting to illegally appropriate the institution. This kind of behavior that violates Buddhist Law cannot be tolerated. A clear allegory of this type of attitude can be clarified with the following example: if a person is supposedly robbed by a criminal, this does not grant him any right to go to the house of the alleged criminal and appropriate criminal´s things, but the individual must appeal to justice in order to resolve the conflict in a peaceful, legal and non-violent way.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee also makes clear that the accused Nagarjuna Training Institute & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna not only did not answer to the Ethics Committee and did not present any defense or evidence against Visuddhaloka during the Ethical Trial, but they also behaved in a manner that is contrary to Ethics when communicating by phone with a member of the jury of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee, who then voted for the Innocence of the accused party. Although this vote has not been annulled, this kind of precedents will not be tolerated by International Buddhist Law, since they constitute aggravated behavior by the accused, who instead of clarifying a formal defense tried to hinder the deliberations of the Ethics Committee. Therefore, it is declared that any communication by an accused made to a jury member is prohibited during the ethical trial.

In conclusion, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has the Purpose (Dharma) to protect the integrity of the International Spiritual Commune (Maha-Sangha), developing an advanced ethics that teaches to behave according to the highest standards, both for individuals and for Buddhist institutions. Thus, the Maitriyana movement will never endorse that a Buddhist institution violates the integrity of other institutions through uses contrary to Buddhist Law and Ethics.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee oversees that members of the World Sangha do not attempt against ethics, human rights and Buddhist teachings, for which reason “Nagarjuna Training Institute & Dh. Lokamitra & Dh. Vivekratna” has been sentenced Responsible for Corruption, Scam and Illegal appropriation, Illicit Association or Organized Crime, Defamation and Violation of Buddhist Law.

With spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya Samyaksambuddha

President and Judge of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee