Buddhist ethics provide a foundation for the practice and community life of PIMC. As a lay community, we are guided by the five training precepts of avoiding killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxication. These five are the basis for the PIMC Code of Ethics which we also adopt as guiding principles. An important part of ethics is a commitment to finding wise ways to work with conflict. In times of serious conflict we have relied on the example and experience of the Buddhist tradition for developing our own ways of resolving conflict.

Conflicts will inevitably arise within the PIMC community. The health of our community is not measured by the presence or absence of conflict as much as by our willingness to find effective, responsible, and compassionate means of resolving interpersonal tensions as they arise. The intention to attend to and learn from conflict is a clear application of Buddhist practice into our daily lives; without this intention, practice can too easily be a comfort rather than a deep transformative vehicle for our lives.

Buddhist conflict resolution is not based on good or bad, blame or guilt, winning or losing, offenders or victims. Rather it is based on fully addressing the suffering of all concerned. Hurt, fear, and anger are taken seriously through forums in which everyone may speak honestly, safely, and completely about their own direct experiences and feelings. In looking for resolution, Buddhist practice values dialogue over silence, reconciliation over estrangement, forgiveness over resentment, confession over accusation, and atonement over punishment. Because the process of reaching such resolution is often very difficult, PIMC's Ethics and Reconciliation Council (EAR Council) offers support.

The EAR Council is a group of three PIMC practitioners, who are available to any community member who wants help in dealing with conflicts and grievances within the PIMC community. The members of the Council are appointed by the PIMC Board in close consultation with the PIMC teachers. The EAR Council is comprised of one teacher, one board member who is not a teacher, and two general community members.

The primary role of the EAR Council is to provide initial, confidential consultation to anyone with ethical concerns. A person can contact one or all of the council members and they will listen to their concerns and perhaps be a source of guidance and inspiration regarding how to best resolve the conflict. The reporting party has the option of speaking with the person with whom the grievance arose, if they feel safe enough to do so, including bringing a council member and/or ally with them. Council members are available to be mediators or witnesses for discussion between parties in conflict.

EAR Council members will endeavor to ensure that the reporting person’s best interests and their safety are given top priority. It is essential that there be a path to effectively and safely address the grievance and work toward an acceptable resolution. It is the responsibility of the Ethics Committee to ensure that the matter is addressed appropriately and in a timely manner, and by following through with the issue to its conclusion.

Also the EAR Council is available to oversee the implementation of a formal grievance procedure for such grievances, complaints and conflicts that cannot be resolved through dialogue, mediation, and reconciliation. This involves setting up a Grievance Committee that investigates and decides on specific issues submitted by members of the community.

Grievance Process

1. Bringing a Concern

A formal grievance process is initiated by communicating in writing with the EAR
Council.EAR@portlandinsight.org This "letter of request" needs to include:

A clear statement that a formal grievance process is requested.
The name of the person(s) whose behavior the complaint concerns.
A description of the alleged behavior sufficient enough to allow the EAR Council to decide whether the complaint is appropriate for initiating a formal grievance procedure.
A history of the attempts, if any, to resolve the complaint through other means.
A general statement about the resolution desired.

2. Accepting the Concern

Once the EAR Council has accepted a request, it must convey its acceptance within two weeks to both the party filing the complaint and the party named in the complaint. As part of this notification, the Council will state its understanding of the issue under inquiry and will distribute a copy of the original "letter of request" to the party named in the complaint.

3. Forming a Grievance Committee

The Grievance Committee will consist of the EAR Council, a non-leader sangha member, and a member of the DEI committee. The Grievance Committee is required to meet within two weeks of its formation to address a grievance. A majority of the members of the Grievance Committee need to be present in order to hold a meeting

This committee will investigate, issue findings, and render a decision on the complaint.

4. Guiding Principles

Decisions by the Grievance Committee will, to the extent possible, adhere to these principles:

Safety – when safety is at issue, decisions will act to ensure the safety of all parties, and of the community as a whole. If a critical safety issue is seen, immediate action will be taken to assure that safety issues have been attended to.
Compassion – decisions will embody compassion for each individual, regardless of their actions.
Respect – the decision making process, and any solution proposed, will be respectful to all parties.
Fairness - any solution proposed by the Grievance Committee will be fair to all parties. Any call for remedial action will be fairly distributed among all parties.
Supportive – any solution proposed will support all parties. We will act as we can to assist all parties to find avenues to address any physical or emotional problems that have led to the issue, or have been caused by the issue.
Spiritual Growth – the Grievance Committee will assist all parties as it can to use the issue to further spiritual growth.

5. Investigating the Concern

The Grievance Committee schedules closed hearings in which all parties are given a chance to present their understanding of the issue under investigation. The Grievance Committee may question all parties and may request additional information. The committee will document the proceedings.

The Grievance Committee may ask other people to provide information pertinent to the complaint. All parties will have a full and fair opportunity to respond to all information – oral, written, or otherwise – gathered by the Grievance Committee.

Except for informing the appropriate community leaders, the proceedings will be held confidentially for the duration of the proceedings.

6. Grievance Committee Findings

When the Grievance Committee members are satisfied that they are adequately informed they will review and discuss the case among themselves. At its discretion, the Grievance Committee may seek non-binding advice from any other source. When serious issues arise concerning a teacher, especially the lead teacher, council will be sought from a senior dharma teacher or other resource devoted to helping resolve this kind of issue.

The Grievance Committee's decision should be reached by consensus. Within two weeks of a decision, all parties will reconvene at which time the Grievance Committee will distribute copies of its written findings and read them aloud. For matters involving the potential suspension of a PIMC teacher, the Grievance Committee will consult with the PIMC Board in jointly establishing the best course of action.

Revised by Robert Beatty and Candle Summers 4/18/22. Inquiries with the EAR Council can be made by emailing EAR@portlandinsight.org

CS/pages/EAR Council/wp

Ethics and Reconciliation Council