Ethical Code of Conduct
At Suttavāda Foundation we believe it is essential to ensure a safe, ethical environment in all our activities. Everyone, regardless of color, orientation, sexual preference, social background or gender, should be able to feel at home with our retreats and other offerings. Inclusivity, diversity and safety are of paramount importance to us.
The five precepts form the basis for all our retreats and other activities and offerings, and are also the guidelines to which we ourselves adhere—and to which you can hold us accountable in everything we do. In addition, we use a sixth precept for our own actions, which is further explained below.
Because honesty, openness, respect and taking responsibility for one’s own behavior are at the heart of our spiritual practice, and that practice is also reflected our care for others, it is vital that teachers and participants can be confident in the knowledge that retreats always adhere to clear frameworks and guidelines designed to support a safe environment for practice.
Since the end of 2022 we are a member of the BUN (Buddhist Union Netherlands), who have established codes of ethics that provide the clarity necessary for the transmission of Buddhist teachings, particularly with regard to roles and relationships in this context. Suttavada Foundation strictly adheres to these principles, which include the establishment of an external confidential advisor.
A code of ethics provides clearly defined standards for meditation teachers and guides to judge their actions by, and for others, including students under their care, to expect and insist upon. Our code of ethics expresses clear agreements for our community regarding desirable behavior and its opposite.
The code of ethics is therefore not only a touchstone for the teacher or guide, but also serves as protection for the participant in retreats and other programs we offer.
Maintaining the code creates a safe atmosphere and creates a basis for well-founded trust.
We find a connection with what is called within Buddhism ‘The five precepts’ and ethics. These precepts are not rules or commands in the strict sense of the word but can be seen as fields of practice. They are accepted freely and it is desirable to put them into practice with wisdom and sensitivity. Buddhism therefore does not talk about right or wrong action but about beneficial or unwholesome action. The five precepts – and their explanations – read as follows:
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- Do not kill, do not hurt living beings.
This is the fundamental principle of Buddhism. All precepts are elaborations of this precept. The rule is based on nonviolent action wherever possible. For example, many Buddhists are vegetarians. The effect in a positive direction are loving kindness and compassion.
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- Don’t steal. Do not take what is not given.
Stealing is clearly hurtful and harmful to others. You can also ‘steal’ in a non-material sense: by using, exploiting or manipulating people. This can be seen as ‘taking what has not been given’. The positive side of this precept is generosity.
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- Refrain from sexually illicit behavior. This applies to everyone.
For teachers and supervisors, there is always a balance of power in a teacher-student relationship. They will therefore be aware of the following:
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- A sexual relationship between teacher and student is never appropriate in our eyes.
- During retreats or formal teaching, any sexual allusion on the part of the teacher or supervisor is inappropriate. In this context, a teacher or supervisor is never ‘out of the office’.
- In cases where a healthy and honest relationship might develop between a teacher and a student over time, the formal teacher-student relationship must be terminated before the individuals embark on new roles as romantic partners.
4. Avoiding incorrect speech.
Speech is a crucial element in our relationship with others. Intentionally or unintentionally, we can easily misunderstand each other. Therefore, we commit to ensuring that we are honest and that our speech is beneficial to ourselves and to others. In a positive sense, wholesome speech is all about connection and harmony.
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- Renouncing substances that cloud the mind.
Mindfulness is a fundamental quality developed with dedication and patience leading to clarity of mind. The use of alcohol and/or drugs is diametrically opposed to this. It goes without saying that addictive behavior is incompatible with teaching or guiding meditation as well as the practicing of it.
We have added the following sixth precept to the traditional five:
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- To live with a heart full of loving kindness (metta) for all living beings.
This is an intention that is particularly fitting for a community based on Buddhist principles, one that teaches meditation based on metta or lovingkindness.
The code of ethics applies to all participants in the activities we organize, including our teachers.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE, ETHICS COMMITTEE AND CONFIDENTIAL ADVISOR
If a participant in one of our activities and/or the teachers affiliated with us has complaints about undesirable behavior, he/she has the option to contact our board, our external confidential advisers, or the confidential advisers of BUN.
We attach great importance to the confidential advisors and/or the members of the ethics committee being completely independent of our board and BUN. That is why we are happy to adhere to the procedures laid down by BUN.
More information about BUN’s code of ethics can be found here
Nicki Mano (from https://nicki.care, psychologist and Mindfulness trainer) is the independent external confidential adviser of Suttavāda Foundation.
The external confidential advisers from BUN can be found here
For any questions related to our code of conduct, you are welcome to contact us.