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Office Of Siridantamahapalaka

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Office Of Siridantamahapalaka: “Powers and Duties of the Board and Departments”

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“Powers and Duties of the Board and Departments”

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Section 5: Powers and Duties of the Board and Departments

5.1 General Principles

  1. All powers and duties in HSWAGATA must follow:

    • The law of the country,

    • This Constitution and later policies,

    • Buddhist ethics, including non-harming, honesty, and compassion.

  2. In line with the teachings (such as the Noble Eightfold Path and the Vinaya rules on right conduct), all leaders must:

    • Avoid greed, hatred, and delusion,

    • Seek the benefit of many people, and

    • Protect the Buddha’s relics as symbols of enlightenment, not as objects of trade.

  3. When there is doubt or conflict, the Board and Departments should choose the path that:

    • Protects the relics,

    • Reduces suffering and conflict, and

    • Promotes peace and harmony.

5.2 Powers of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the highest decision-making body of HSWAGATA. Its main powers are:

  1. Policy and Direction

    • Approve the vision, mission, and long-term plans of HSWAGATA.

    • Approve key policies on relic stewardship, security, finance, and public engagement.

    • Ensure that all policies reflect Buddhist values and lessons from the 100 case studies.

  2. Appointment and Supervision

    • Appoint, supervise, and, if needed, remove the Director-General according to fair process.

    • Confirm the appointment of Heads of Departments, based on merit and ethics.

    • Set clear job descriptions and evaluation rules for senior positions.

  3. Oversight of Relic Protection

    • Approve or refuse major decisions about:

      • Moving the relics,

      • Lending relics,

      • Accepting new relics, or

      • Testing relics in laboratories.

    • Ensure that any such actions follow spiritual, legal, and scientific advice.

  4. Financial and Asset Control

    • Approve annual budgets and financial reports.

    • Oversee the use of donations, grants, and assets, to prevent misuse or corruption.

    • Decide on major purchases, construction projects, or sale of property, following ethical rules.

  5. Conflict and Risk Management

    • Approve strategies to handle conflicts over relics, guardianship, or land.

    • Approve major security and disaster risk plans.

    • Decide on legal actions when needed, in a calm and careful way.

  6. Constitution and By-Laws

    • Propose amendments to this Constitution to the General Meeting, where required.

    • Approve by-laws, codes of conduct, and detailed regulations.

  7. Representation

    • Represent HSWAGATA in important relations with the State, religious bodies, and international partners.

    • Sign or approve MoUs and major agreements, usually after review by the Department of Administration and Partnerships.

5.3 Duties of the Board of Directors

In using its powers, the Board has the duty to:

  1. Act honestly, fairly, and without personal gain.

  2. Avoid conflicts of interest, for example:

    • Not using HSWAGATA funds for private purposes,

    • Not taking relics or objects for private collections.

  3. Meet regularly, study the reports from the Director-General and Departments, and ask careful questions.

  4. Listen to advice from the Sangha and Expert Advisory Council, especially on:

    • Spiritual matters,

    • Ethical dilemmas, and

    • Complex heritage cases.

  5. Protect staff, volunteers, and members from unfair treatment and discrimination.

  6. Ensure that the voice of lay donors, local communities, and youth is heard in key decisions.

  7. Make written records of important decisions, so that future custodians can learn from them.

5.4 Duties of the Director-General / Museum Director

The Director-General is responsible to the Board and has the duty to:

  1. Implement Board decisions in daily work.

  2. Coordinate all eight Departments and ensure they work together, not in isolation.

  3. Prepare:

    • Annual plans and budgets,

    • Regular activity and risk reports, and

    • Special reports when serious incidents occur (such as theft attempts, damage, or conflict).

  4. Ensure that:

    • Staff and volunteers receive training in Buddhist ethics, relic care, and security.

    • Workplace conduct follows the Five Precepts and basic professional standards.

    • Complaints are handled in a fair and confidential way.

  5. Act as main contact person for:

    • Government agencies,

    • Partner institutions, and

    • The public, unless the Board decides otherwise for specific cases.

  6. Protect whistle-blowers who report in good faith about:

    • Misuse of funds,

    • Abuse of relics, or

    • Serious neglect.

5.5 General Duties of All Departments

All eight Departments share these general duties:

  1. To follow this Constitution, Board decisions, and official policies.

  2. To keep accurate, safe, and confidential records as needed (for example, lists of relics, agreements, donors, or incidents).

  3. To prepare short annual reports for the Director-General, including:

    • Main activities,

    • Problems faced, and

    • Lessons learned for future practice.

  4. To treat colleagues, visitors, and communities with respect, patience, and kindness.

  5. To cooperate with other Departments; no Department should act alone on serious matters.

  6. To report at once any sign of:

    • Theft or attempted theft,

    • Damage or risk to relics or buildings,

    • Serious conflict or threats.

5.6 Specific Duties of the Department of Doctrinal and Cosmological Studies

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Prepare clear, simple materials on:

    • The meaning of relics in Buddhist thought,

    • The history of the Buddha’s tooth relic, and

    • Basic cosmology linked to relic worship.

  2. Advise the Board and other Departments when doctrinal issues arise, such as:

    • False claims of miracles,

    • Misuse of relic worship for superstition or profit,

    • Conflicts between different Buddhist traditions.

  3. Organize lectures, study circles, and publications in cooperation with monks, nuns, and scholars.

  4. Check that museum texts, labels, and guides do not misrepresent the Dhamma.

5.7 Specific Duties of the Department of Spiritual Guardianship and Vocation

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Support custodians and staff in:

    • Meditation,

    • Chanting,

    • Ritual preparation, and

    • Mindful service.

  2. Help create and maintain codes of spiritual conduct for those who directly handle the relics, such as:

    • Purity of intention,

    • Observance of precepts,

    • Avoiding misuse of relic blessings.

  3. Work with the Sangha to plan:

    • Relic processions,

    • Special ceremonies, and

    • Ritual responses to crisis or damage.

  4. Respect but also gently guide visionary experiences or claims about non-human guardians, so they do not cause fear, greed, or division.

  5. Help custodians see their work as a path of dāna (giving), sīla (virtue), and bhāvanā (mental cultivation).

5.8 Specific Duties of the Department of Administration and Partnerships

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Keep official records, archives, and registrations.

  2. Prepare and manage:

    • Employment contracts,

    • MoUs,

    • Partnership agreements, and

    • Data protection policies.

  3. Check that all documents:

    • Follow national law, and

    • Reflect HSWAGATA’s ethical stance on relics and heritage.

  4. Support the Board and Director-General in organizing:

    • Meetings,

    • Elections or appointments, and

    • Legal processes.

  5. Maintain an up-to-date list of:

    • Members,

    • Partners, and

    • Official contacts.

5.9 Specific Duties of the Department of Community Engagement and Donations

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Welcome lay devotees and community groups in a respectful and inclusive way.

  2. Organize:

    • Public talks,

    • Guided tours,

    • Village or school outreach programs.

  3. Manage donations by:

    • Keeping clear records of what is given,

    • Sending thanks or receipts,

    • Informing donors honestly about how funds are used.

  4. Prevent harmful practices, such as:

    • Selling “miracles,”

    • Guaranteeing worldly success in exchange for offerings,

    • Pressuring poor people to give beyond their means.

  5. Listen to community concerns and bring them to the Board or Director-General when needed.

5.10 Specific Duties of the Department of Scientific Verification and Education

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Prepare clear procedures for any scientific study or testing of relics and related objects, including:

    • Risk assessment,

    • Consent from relevant authorities,

    • Respect for religious feelings.

  2. Advise the Board on:

    • When testing is useful,

    • When it is too risky or disrespectful,

    • What methods are acceptable.

  3. Work with laboratories and experts in a transparent way.

  4. Build exhibitions and educational programs that:

    • Show how science and faith can live in harmony,

    • Warn against fake relics or false advertising.

  5. Monitor media and online information about HSWAGATA relics and respond with calm, factual, and kind communication.

5.11 Specific Duties of the Department of Conflict Resolution and Security

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Develop and update plans for:

    • Security of relics and buildings,

    • Visitor safety,

    • Emergency response (fire, theft, natural hazards, unrest).

  2. Train staff and volunteers to:

    • Notice risks,

    • Report suspicious behavior,

    • Act calmly in emergencies.

  3. Support peaceful solutions in HGT conflicts by:

    • Encouraging dialogue and mediation,

    • Documenting claims and evidence,

    • Working with legal and religious authorities.

  4. Ensure that security measures:

    • Respect human dignity,

    • Do not use unnecessary force,

    • Follow the principle of non-violence.

5.12 Specific Duties of the Department of Conservation and Maintenance

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Schedule and carry out:

    • Regular cleaning,

    • Inspection, and

    • Maintenance of relic shrines, containers, and displays.

  2. Keep detailed records of:

    • The condition of relics and their containers,

    • Repairs and treatments,

    • All movements of relics.

  3. Work with conservation experts to choose:

    • Suitable materials,

    • Safe lighting,

    • Stable temperature and humidity.

  4. Report quickly any sign of:

    • Damage,

    • Mold, pests, or pollution,

    • Structural risk to buildings or cases.

  5. Help prevent neglect by creating clear checklists and routines.

5.13 Specific Duties of the Department of Policy and Normative Planning

This Department has the duty to:

  1. Collect lessons from:

    • The 100 case studies,

    • HSWAGATA’s own history,

    • Global best practices in museum and heritage work.

  2. Draft and update:

    • Internal policies,

    • Codes of conduct,

    • Ethical guidelines for staff, volunteers, and partners.

  3. Check regularly if policies are followed and effective, and report to the Board with suggestions for improvement.

  4. Help the Board think through complex moral questions using:

    • Buddhist teachings,

    • Peace and conflict studies,

    • Human rights and cultural rights standards.

  5. Coordinate long-term strategic plans that protect:

    • The relics,

    • The community,

    • The reputation and mission of HSWAGATA.


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