CASE-HISTORY A: THE CASE OF THE ‘FATHERLESS’ CHILD

A judge from the Law Courts in Ayutthaya told me of a case which had caused him great embarrassment and distress as it involved a member of the Buddhist Sangha.

The action had arisen when a woman living in a rural settlement, had gone to the District (Amphoe) Office to register the birth of her baby. She had named, as its father, the abbot of the local wat. When he heard of her action, from her own mouth, the bhikkhu in question indignantly denied his paternity, and decided to sue her for libel.

The judge, as narrator, repeatedly expressed his grief and discomfort at being required to deal with such a situation. After a private interview with the woman he learnt that she was a regular supporter of that monastery. She always attended services there on Holy Day (Wan Phra), and frequently presented food to the community.

Over a year before however, her husband had died and the abbot in his turn had given food and money to help support herself and her family. The woman thus felt herself to be under a great obligation towards him, and consequently when he visited her home after dark one evening, she did not like to refuse to ‘become his wife’. The abbot made several such visits and in due course she became pregnant.

The judge interjected at this point, that the child in question did indeed bear a strong resemblance to the monk.