Save Wat Lao Buddhavong: Help remove Ajahn Cha

We, the Lao Buddhist Community of Wat Lao Buddhavong, hereby requests that Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH (also known as: Ajahn CHANDAPHONE CHAKKAVARO, PHONEXAY MINGSISOUPHANH)  be EXPELLED from Wat Lao Buddhavong Monastic Residence, and the expel process be prepared by the Monks and Temple community. The Vice Abbot or Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH has been the top object of controversial and concerns within the Lao Buddhist Community for a long period of time.

The petition is based on the following unanswered questions and deeply concerns from the Lao Buddhist Community. It is based on our study and observation and participation. It is based on facts gathering and recording for many years. These are our concerns and reason for the petition:

1.       We are concerned about Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH's discipline as a Buddhist monk. We are concerned about his code of conduct or the "Vinaya" involving in the areas of: The means for Support; Food; Clothing; Shelter; Medicine; Invitation; Inappropriate Items including Money; Relationships; Teaching Dharma; and the Matters of Etiquette. (As described and documented by http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/layguide.htm).  In summary, Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH's conducts and activities are not acceptable and have brought many unanswered questions and major concerns to the community. It is our belief that he has slipped out beyond the acceptable "Vinaya". A monk should behave and conduct within the monk'd rule. His conduct is great concern to our community and brought many negative impacts to Wat Lao Buddhavong.

2.       We are concerned about Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH's Buddhist Teaching and Practice Paths (as described and documented by http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/pathmaps.htm ): The Triple Gem; The Four Noble Truths; The Four Bodhisattva Vows; The Eight Fold-Path; The Five Precepts; The Five Precepts in positive terms; The Ten Paramita; The Four Sublime or Uplifted States; The Five Powers or Spirituals Faculties; The Four bases or Frames of Reference; The Three Signs of Existence or Universal Properties. As the Vice Abbot of our Lao temple, the Lao Buddhist Community and the monks community expect and hope for the superior conducts and services. He needs to set a good example to the young monks by fully follow the Buddhist teaching and the practice paths.

3.       We are concerned about the untruthfulness and misleading of various activities and fund raising for major improvement and construction projects. Many of which have not been started or in the plan (Projects: That-Luang, Buddha Garden, Road pavement, Parking lot, Cultural and Educational Center, etc.).  As the Vice Abbot, who solely undertook the control of the decisions, the Buddhist community expects the results, or at least plans. These are long overdue. The community has lost faith and belief in his ideas but have not follow through.

4.       The questionable funding and of Wat Lao Bodhgaya International (a.k.a. Wat India) in India which unfairly has taken the resources and times in managing, supporting and servicing Wat Lao Buddhavong community.  There has been a concern about the possible attempt to allocate financial resources from Wat Lao Buddhavong to Wat Lao in India. It is still a major concern in term of transparency and the legal issues involved. Documents and reports are not matching up with the activities seen by the community.  

5.       The question related to this business dealing outside the required activities the support and services of the temple (click here to see the activity: http://www.iealing.cn/consignee/ven-chandaphone-chakkavoro.html). This activity is just an example of an inappropriate conduct under the code of conduct or the "Vinaya". What type of dealing and business? Is it reported properly? Other inappropriate activities are continued to be investigated and documented.

6.       Concerns about his name and alias being used in many official and unofficial documents for different purposes.  (1) CHANDAPHONE CHAKKAVARO, (2) CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH, (3) PHONEXAY MINGSISOUPHANH. Is this simply an ignorance act or is there something to hide? We are concerned about the legality of the names documented and signed in various documents.

7.       In addition to the concerns of Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH's specific conducts and activities above, the Lao Buddhist Community are also deeply concerned and worried about the negative impacts that he has been and continue will bring to our Wat Lao Buddhavong as follow:

1.       Possible legal problems that we may definitely face with the U.S. Immigration Services due to the excessive and improperly of sponsorship of monks to reside at our temple.

2.       Possible legal problems with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a non-profit organization and individual income taxes in handling and managing financial information.

3.       Possible legal problem with the US Department of Labor  Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

4.       Continuous and unresolved problems by not being compliances with the Local Government

5.       Current and Future problems of Wat Lao Financial situation and stabilities to maintain, operate, and improve Wat Lao Buddhavong. The lack of true transparencies and verification are continued to be the major concerns among the community.

6.       Problem with losing faith and trust in our religion and culture by our current and future generation

To our Lao Buddhist Community,

This is a very sad petition and unfortunate that we decided to go with this unhappy action in order to make some changes to Wat Lao Buddhavong. As you may know, there is no oversight in the Wat Lao organization in the U.S. and within Wat Lao Buddhavong. The Buddhist Monks Organization in the U.S. cannot and will not interfere about the problem we are facing at Wat Lao Buddhavong. Calling for the expel of Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH may not be popular to many general Buddhists, especially when one does  know and truly understand the impacts of doing nothing.

We are not always in agreement on how to go about solving the problems, but EVERYONE agrees that we have problem. We are separated by many ideas, belief, faiths, ideology, ages, background, and how we were raised and taught, etc. Some believes that if you have done the wrong, one day you will receive what you deserve. But, again, many had gotten away. It was far too late before the sin caught up with him.  The hard problem never goes away, unless we are doing something about it.

We have tried many different methods to bring about positive changes to the temple.

Time has come. Time is running out. We must act, and act now.

Please sign this petition to expel Ajahn CHANDAPHONE MINGSISOUPHANH from Wat Lao Buddhavong, Catlett, Virginia.