I have uploaded two papers which I have published in the Journal of Buddhist Ethics with the agreement of the JBE editor.
One is titled "TithiyaparivÄsa vis-Ã -vis Noviciation in TheravÄdin Monasticism" and the filename is parivasa_samanera_Final.pdf. The abstract is:
"TithiyaparivÄsa is a particular type of probation in TheravÄdin
monasticism that former ascetics of certain heretic groups must undergo if they wish to gain admission to the Buddhist Order. In the extant probation procedure as found in the PÄli Vinaya tradition, there is no explicit accounting for the stage of novicehood. Why? This paper attempts to answer that question and also in the process discovers an unexpected insight into the legally ambiguous status of noviciation."
The other is titled "The Buddha and the MÄgadha-VajjÄ« War" and the file name is Buddha.and.the.Magadha.Vajji.War_Final.pdf. The abstract is:
"According to an account recorded in MahÄparinibbÄnasutta, the Buddha had to meet a royal minister named VassakÄra when King AjÄtasattu ordered the latter to visit the Buddha and inform him about the king's plan to subdue the VajjÄ«s. After hearing VassakÄra, the Buddha spoke on seven Conditions of Welfare (satta aparihÄniyÄ dhammÄ), which would ensure the prosperity of the VajjÄ«s as long as its citizens observed them. VassakÄra shrewdly inferred from the Buddhaâs discourse how to defeat the VajjÄ« people and later actually forced them into submission. Regarding that event, there are some perplexing questions:
1. Why did King AjÄtasattu choose to consult a wandering ascetic on a significant matter of state like fighting a war?
2. VassakÄra discerned how to defeat the VajjÄ«s from the Buddha's exposition of the Seven Conditions of Welfare (satta aparihÄniyÄ dhammÄ). So did the Buddha intend to help AjÄtasattu defeat the VajjÄ«s? If not, what was his purpose in expounding the seven Conditions of Welfare to VassakÄra?
3. If the Buddha really did not accept any kind of violence, as the tradition would have it, why did he not openly speak against it?
This paper will attempt to answer these questions and will argue, in the conclusion, that this event shows the Buddhaâs disapproving attitude toward a political role of the Buddhist Order."
These papers together with their earlier drafts are in the Ven. Pandita folder of the Files section. Those who care to compare the draft and final forms of the papers will see how the critical fire of the peer-review process has modified, and (I hope) improved the papers.