Overview
An official meeting or legal decree of the monastic order is called a Saṅghakamma (Saṅgha Act). For an act to be legally binding and valid, the monks must gather within a designated boundary (sīmā), meet a specific quorum, and utilize one of four standardized parliamentary legislative procedures, depending on the gravity of the business.
The List
- Apalokana-kamma - Act of Announcement: The simplest administrative act. It requires no formal legal motion, but involves simply announcing an action to the gathered monks three times aloud to seek their silent, informal consent (e.g., distributing minor monastery property).
- Ñatti-kamma - Act of Motion Alone: An act executed by presenting a single formal proposal or declaration (ñatti) to the assembly, immediately followed by final agreement, with no secondary arguments required.
- Ñattidutiya-kamma - Act with One Motion and One Announcement: A two-part parliamentary procedure. A motion is read once, followed by a single announcement (anusāvana) where the monks are asked to voice any objections. If all remain silent, the act is carried.
- Ñatticatuttha-kamma - Act with One Motion and Three Announcements: The most severe and solemn legal procedure, used for high-level business like ordination or rehabilitation from suspension. A motion is read once, followed by three separate, successive announcements. Objections can be made at any point; absolute silence throughout all three rounds is required for passage.
Textual References
- Canonical: Kammakkhandha (Cullavagga, Vinaya) – Outlines the exact formula and phrasing required for every type of official monastic decree.