In the “rules of defeat” they mention that sexual intercourse, thievery, murder and lying will prevent a monk from communion. Who imposes these rules and can they be forgiven?
A. The precepts (rules) are not imposed. They are taken as vows, as a kind of framework that enables us to get going on stopping suffering. This is a Zen answer. Theravadin (“Hinayana”) Buddhists (for instance) answer differently. Even among them, a monk who breaks a precept (of which they have very many) can, unless it’s very serious, be forgiven.
