Dear Thomas,

> This is really interesting. Could you give some more textual
> information (such as in what early Mahayana sutras) records about the
> physically attacked, beaten up or even murdered by non-Mahayana monks?

Among others, the Lotus Sutra and the Mahayana-Mahaparinirvana-sutra both
mention such events. I'm currently looking for yet more such references as
they shed light on religio-social conditions in India around the time they
were compiled.

> I think they actually function as monks in the sense that they, as
> religious "priests", operate their temples, rituals, and traditions.

But you have to remember that as yogins or mantrins, they too undertake vows
and commitments which, although differing in many aspects from the Vinaya,
are still quite onerous and stringent in their own terms.

> but they are officially and traditionally regarded as monks

Why do you think this is so ? Personally, I do not think this is the case
as Tibetan officialdom was quite aware of the difference though they would
have been acknowledged as professional religious people.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge