Hiến Chương Giáo Hội Phật Giáo Việt Nam Thống Nhất Hải Ngoại tại Úc Đại Lợi - Tân Tây Lan (nhiệm kỳ 2022-2026)

Điều 10: Giáo Hội gồm ba cơ cấu: Hội Đồng Chứng Minh-Cố Vấn, Hội Đồng Tăng Ni, Hội Đồng Điều Hành.

Điều 11: Hội Đồng Chứng Minh-Cố Vấn là chư tôn Hòa Thượng thuộc các truyền thống Phật Giáo đang sinh hoạt trong Giáo Hội.

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The Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation in Australia and New Zealand

CONSTITUTION OF THE CONGREGATION 

PREAMBLE

Inheriting a Buddhist tradition of 2,600 years of peace, tranquility and liberation, Vietnamese Buddhists are committed to the ideal of propagating the Dharma, for the happiness of all sentient beings.

The different schools and lineages of Vietnamese Buddhism active in Australia and New Zealand have agreed to unite forming a structure to expound the Dharma, in a spirit of service to the Vietnamese people and the Buddha’s Teachings following the traditions of the Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation in Vietnam.

The Congregation does not place its existence in isolation from, but within the continued existence of our nation and humankind

The Congregation aspires to a spirit of true compassion, altruism and harmony for both the Sangha and the Laity in order to develop and maintain Vietnamese Buddhism in Australia and New Zealand.

SECTION 1

 TITLE - EMBLEM - FLAG - ANTHEM - OFFICIAL STAMPS

Article 1:    The Schools, Lineages and Organisations of Vietnamese Buddhism in Australia and New Zealand unite under the title of the Unified  Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation in Australia and New Zealand (abbreviated as “UVBC”), hereinafter titled the “Congregation”. The Vietnamese title is Giáo Hội Phật Giáo Việt Nam Thống Nhất Hải Ngoại tại Úc Đại Lợi - Tân Tây Lan, (abbreviated as GHPGVNTNHN UDL-TTL).

Article 2:    The Emblem of the Congregation shall be the Dharma
Wheel (Dharmachakra) (with 12 spokes as illustrated)

Article 3:    The Flag of the Congregation shall be the International
Buddhist Flag.

Article 4:    The Anthem of the Congregation shall be Phật Giáo Việt Nam
by Maestro Lê Cao Phan.

Article 5:    The Official Stamps of the Congregation shall be used in accordance with the Rules of the Congregation.

SECTION 2

 PURPOSE - EXECUTIVE OFFICE – MEMBERSHIP

Article 6:    The Purpose of the Congregation shall be to co-ordinate the Schools and Lineages of Vietnamese Buddhism in Australia and New Zealand in propagating True Buddha Dharma and in serving the people, humanity and sentient beings

Article 7:    The Office of the Congregation’s Executive Council shall be located wherever the current Head of the Congregation presides.

Article 8:    Membership of the Congregation comprises:

              • Sangha Members: monks and nuns (i.e. bhikkhus and Bhikkunis) who are Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents,

              • Institutional Members: the constituent bodies of Buddhist temples, institutes, monasteries, retreat houses, prayer halls, etc…, and

              • Laity Organisation Members: constituent bodies of lay Buddhist organisations.

Article 9:    The Congregation will provide spiritual support to members in their activities which conform with the Dharma and the law of the land, but will bear no responsibility for any illegal action.

SECTION 3

 ORGANISATION - MANAGEMENT - TERM OF OFFICE

Article 10:  The Congregation shall comprise three (3) elements: the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors, the Sangha Council, and the Executive Council.

Article 11:  The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors shall comprise Most Venerable Members of the Sangha pertaining to all Buddhist traditions currently operating within the Congregation.

Article 12:

(a)     The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors comprises members of the Sangha of the rank of Most Venerable up pertaining to all Buddhist traditions currently operating within the Congregation, nominated by the Sangha Council and respectfully invited by a General Congress.

(b)     The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors supervises all activities of the Congregation, in the spirit of mutual respect and harmony, without attributing individual responsibility.

(c)     The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors nominates a Chief Secretary to coordinate its activities.

Article 13:  The Sangha Counci comprises Monks and Nuns (Bhikkhus and Bhikkunis) who are members of the Congregation, have fifteen (15) or more years seniority and have been frequently active with the Congregation for at least 2 terms of office.

Article 14:  The Executive Council shall comprise:

•                The Head of the Congregation

• Deputy Head of the Congregation- Internal affairs
• Deputy Head of the Congregation- External affairs

•                Deputy Head of the Congregation

•                Deputy Head of the Congregation

•                General Secretary

•                Deputy General Secretary

•                Treasurer

•                Deputy Treasurer

•                Commissioner for Sangha Affairs

•                Deputy Commissioner for Sangha Affairs

•                Head of the Bhikkuni Affairs Office (of the Sangha Affairs Commission)

                  Deputy Head of the Bhikkuni Affairs Office

•                Commissioner for Dharma Propagation- Education

•                Deputy Commissioner for Dharma Propagation- Education

•                Commissioner for Protocol- Ritual- Culture

•                Deputy Commissioner for Protocol- Ritual- Culture

•                Commissioner for Laity Affairs-Youth Affairs

•                Deputy Commissioner for Laity Affairs-Youth Affairs

•                Commissioner for Social Welfare, Charities- Finance

•                Deputy Commissioner for Social Welfare, Charities- Finance

Article 15:  (a)   The Head, the two (2) Deputy Heads of the Congregation and the Commissioner for Sangha Affairs shall be selected by the Sangha Council at the General Congress.

                   (b)   All other office bearers shall be elected by a General Congress of the Congregation or, if necessary, nominated by the Head of the Congregation to be approved by a vote of a General Congress of the Congregation.

                   (c)   The positions of General Secretary, Treasurer and Commissioners shall be filled by members of the Sangha.

                   (d)   Other positions may be filled by members of either the Sangha or Laity.

Article 16:  The Standing Committee of the Executive Council shall comprise:

•                         the Head of the Congregation,

•                         the Deputy Heads of the Congregation,

•                         the General Secretary,

*                        The commissioner of Sangha affairs

                           Chief treasurer

Article 17:  Terms of Office and procedures for nominations:

                   (a)   Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors to be respectfully invited by the Sangha Council at the General Congress. Members of  the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors will not simultaneously hold office in other councils.

                   (b)   The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors’ terms of office shall be four (4) years

                   (c)   The Executive Council’s terms of office shall be four (4) years.

                   (d)   The Sangha Council: To be established at each Congress among members of the Sangha officially present. Their responsibilities shall terminate at the conclusion of each General Congress.

SECTION 4

 RESPONSIBILITIES – AUTHORITY

Article 18:  The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors’ roles are to:

-       Establish and maintain the legal personality status of the Congregation

-       Proclaim resolutions defining operational guidelines of the Congregation

-       Supervise, protect the application of the constitution

-       Review, effect ordinations, sanction members of the Sangha in the Congregation

-       Ratify the outcome of General Congresses of the Congregation

-       Attest General Congresses, Major ceremonies and Grand Convocations (Mahamandaras)

Article 19:  The Sangha Council’s only duty is to nominate members of the Central Senior Sangha Council at each General Congress of the Congregation.

Article 20:  The Executive Council:

• Implements the Articles of the Constitution and the Regulations of the Congregation;
• motivates, encourages and supports members of the Sangha and Buddhist Laity to practice and study the Dharma;
• implements resolutions of General Congresses of the Congregation;
• issues Religious Messages for major ceremonies at Lunar New Year and Vesak, Ullambana, etc…; and
• nominates the Head of the Congregation, the General Secretary and the Treasurer to act on behalf of the Executive Council in maintaining the Congregation’s financial authority and property ownership rights.

SECTION 5

 DISCIPLINARY ACTION – DISMISSAL

Article 21: 

                   (a)   A member of the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors or Head of the Congregation, or a Deputy Head of the Congregation may be subject to disciplinary action only after at least three (3) members of the Council have sent letters to the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors proposing disciplinary action. The Chief Secretary of the Council must then convene a meeting of this Council within one (1) month to resolve the matter.

                   (b)   A member of the Executive Council may be subject to disciplinary action only after at least five (5) members of the Executive Council have sent letters to the Executive Council proposing disciplinary action. If the Standing Committee of the of the Executive Council considers it necessary to pursue the complaint the General Secretary must then convene a meeting of the Executive Council within one (1) month to resolve the matter.

                   (c)   A member of the Sangha who allegedly becomes involved in an illegality or breaks Buddhist Precepts, may be subjected to disciplinary action by the Standing Committee, at its own discretion, upon receiving a request.

                   (d)   Institutional Members or Laity Organisation Members may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action by the Executive Council, upon it receiving a justified request.

Article 22:  When a member of the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors or the Executive Council dies or is dismissed, the relevant Council will appoint a replacement within six (6) months

SECTION 6

PROPERTY AND ASSETS

Article 23:  The property and assets of the Congregation include:

• Assets and real property donated to the Congregation; and
• Assets and real property created by or acquired by the Congregation.

Article 24:  Members of the Congregation are separate legal entities and are financially and administratively independent.

SECTION 7

 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS, COUNCIL MEETINGS, GENERAL CONGRESS

Article 25:  An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Congregation may be convened by the Head of the Congregation within one (1) month of receiving written request(s) from at least one half (1/2) of the members of the Executive Council or at least one half (1/2) of the Buddhist institutions or organisations which are members of the Congregation.

Article 26:  The Chief Secretary will send a written invitation to members of the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors to attend council meetings to be held twice a year on occasions of Buddhist affairs of the Congregation.

Article 27:   The General Secretary will send written invitations to Executive Council members and Abbots of Buddhist institutions or organizations members of the Congregation to attend Council Meetings held twice a year at on occasions of Buddhist affairs of the Congregation

Article 28:  A General Congress of the Congregation is convened once in every four (4) years by the Head of the Congregation to:

• Review Buddhist activities over the previous term of office;
• Set in place Plans and Programs of Activities for the next term of office;
• Invite and elect the (incoming) Executive Council after the (outgoing) Executive Council declares the end of its terms of office
• The Executive Council may convene a General Congress if more than one half of its members require with the consent of two thirds (2/3) of the members of the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors, provided it has run at least for more than one half of its terms of office.

Article 29:  Participants at a General Congress include:

• the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors
• the Executive Council,
• All Sangha Members of the Congregation,
• Delegates for Institutional Members and Laity Organisation Members.

Article 30: Participants at a Extraordinary General meeting include:

• the Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors
• the Executive Council,
• All Sangha Members of the Congregation,

SECTION 8

 RULES, CONSTITUTION,  AMENDMENTS, PROMULGATION,  APPLICATION

Article 31:  The Rules of the Congregation are compiled by the Executive Council in accord with the Constitution as existing at the time; they are updated as required and passed by a General Congress or General Meetings and promulgated by the Head of the Congregation.

Article 32:  Members of the Congregation may propose constitutional amendments to General Meetings and Congresses.

Article 33:  Motions to amend the Constitution must be sent to the Constitutional Amendments Committee two (2) months prior to a General Meeting or Congress and must be passed by two thirds (2/3) of the total number of delegates attending the General Meeting or Congress before being incorporated into the Constitution.

Article 34:  The Council of Attesting Patrons- Advisors will ratify and promulgate an amended Constitution within one (1) month after the General Meeting or Congress.

Article 35:  The Constitution of the Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation in Australia and New Zealand, consisting of eight (8) SECTIONs and thirty-four (34) articles was amended at the Seventh General Congress of the Congregation held from the 4th to 5th day of June 2022 and promulgated to be effective from the date signed.

In the Buddhist Year 2566

Hereby promulgated by

THE COUNCIL OF ATTESTING PATRONS-ADVISORS

Sydney, the 20th day of June 2022

Most Ven. Thich Huyen Ton

Most Ven. Thich Bao Lac
Most Ven. Thich Truong Sanh
Most Ven. Thich Bon Dien
Most Ven. Thich Nguyen Truc