This document applies to all people who function in the following roles at Insight Denver (ID) or in any ID related events, programs or offerings: teachers, including senior students serving in a teaching role, guest teachers, mentors, counselors or guidance providers, and members of the ID Board of Directors.

The foundation of spiritual life rests upon our mindful and caring relationship to the life around us. In keeping with this understanding and for the long-term benefit of all we agree to uphold the five lay training precepts.

In this Code of Ethics, we explicitly expand the scope of the five precepts to make them appropriate to our specific cultural setting:

1. We undertake the precept of refraining from physically and intentionally harming living beings. We acknowledge the interconnection of all beings and a reverence for all life. We will refrain from all forms of physical violence, and we will develop our understanding of non-harming in general. We seek to help students understand the implications of this precept in ways that support their practice.
2. We undertake the precept of refraining from taking that which is not offered. We will not take what belongs to others unless it is freely given. We will bring consciousness to the use of all the earth’s resources in a respectful and ecologically sensitive way. We will be honest in dealing with money and not misappropriate money committed to Dharma projects. We will offer teachings and Dharma support freely.
3. We undertake the precept of refraining from sexual misconduct. We will avoid creating harm through sexual conduct and will refrain from all forms of sexual exploitation. In particular, we will not use our teaching role to pursue or encourage a sexual relationship with a student; nor will we accept or accede to sexual interest or advances from a student. To nurture an atmosphere of safety, we will model and encourage non-sexualized communications and behavior.

Specifically concerning relationships between a teacher and a student, we will abide by the following agreements:

• Teachers will refrain from engaging in sexual activity with students without exception, including refraining from any speech or action on the part of the teacher indicating or implying sexual interest in a student.
• Teachers will remain mindful of the ways students and teachers alike can engage in transference and/or projection of feelings, including sexual feelings, onto the student-teacher relationship. When a teacher recognizes this is occurring, the teacher will consult with wise peers, other teachers, and possibly another professional in order to protect and maintain the safety and integrity of the student-teacher relationship.

• If mutual consensual interest in an intimate, romantic relationship occurs between someone in a teaching role and someone in a student role, then the teacher-student relationship must definitively end before such a relationship begins. Once the student and teacher mutually agree that their student-teacher relationship has ended, there will follow an extended period of limited contact between the two. The details of this limited contact are to be established with the guidance of the Deepening Practice Committee and/or the ID Board. A typical time frame for this limited contact period will likely range from 3-12 months. Only after this limited contact period is completed may the two parties enter into an intimate relationship.

1. We undertake the precept of refraining from false and harmful speech. We will speak what is true and useful and refrain from harsh speech, divisive speech, and disparaging speech. In particular, to foster inclusivity and respect in the sangha, teachers will refrain from inserting into their talks their own personal views about topics not immediately related to Buddhist teachings, especially about current events. They will ensure that when such topics are addressed, their words are free from divisiveness, and they will clarify that they are speaking only for themselves, and not on behalf of ID, the Teachers Collective or the ID Board, Buddhism, or the Dharma. We encourage teachers to practice seeing the conditioned nature of all views and opinions. In addition, we aspire to speak in ways that are increasingly inclusive and respectful of all people. We will cultivate conscious and clear communication and the quality of loving-kindness as the basis of our speech in order to support the development of harmony among students in the sangha. Teachers will support sangha members in speaking in ways that are sensitive to all beings and that promote a community where people feel free to speak what they believe is true. Teachers will preserve the privacy of students and not share identifying details of students’ practice histories or stories without their consent.
2. We undertake the precept of refraining from intoxicants that cause heedlessness or loss of awareness. We will not abuse intoxicants; we will refrain from all use of intoxicants in the presence of students; and we will refrain from any presentation of the Dharma under the influence of intoxicants. In order to facilitate a supportive environment for all students adhering to this precept, teachers will keep ID related events, programs and gatherings free of intoxicants.

If any member of the sangha has concerns about whether a teacher is in adherence to these principles, that member may approach any member of the ID Board or the Teachers Collective. The concern will be referred to the Deepening Practice Committee made up of committed, practicing members of the sangha and may include a member of the Teachers Collective, a member of the ID Board, and a member of the sangha, or a combination thereof.

As a participating Teacher or Board Member at Insight Denver, I agree to these Principles.

Deepening Practice Committee

Conflicts arising from violations of the Insight Denver Teachers and Board Members Code of Ethics will likely occur from time to time. The health of our community is not measured by the presence or absence of conflict as much as by our willingness to engage with courage to find a compassionate means of resolving interpersonal tensions. 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.

In our sangha, and as informed by Buddhist values and traditions, conflict resolution is not based on determinations of good and bad, blame and guilt, winning and losing, or offenders and victims (except in clear cases of abuse or criminal conduct). 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 difficult, ID’s Deepening Practice Committee offers support.

The Deepening Practice Committee is comprised of three persons, who are all committed, practicing, and local members of the community. They may include an ID teacher, an ID Board member who is not a teacher, and a sangha member who is neither. (In cases where this combination is impossible due to unavailability or conflict of interest, substitutes will be elected by the ID Board.) All will be widely respected by the ID Board for their integrity, and each will take steps to be available to any community member who wants help in dealing with conflict in the ID sangha (except for employee/personnel-related conflicts). The primary role of the Deepening Practice Committee is to provide confidential consultation to anyone with ethical concerns.

The consultation and conflict resolution process, based on the Plum Village Conflict Resolution Guide (a copy is available from ID Board), is as follows:

1. A member of the Deepening Practice Committee may, on request, function as a sounding board for a sangha member’s concerns, acting as a source to facilitate deeper personal reflection, or as a source of advice on how best to resolve the conflict.

If a conflict is not resolved through one-on-one consultation with a member of the Deepening Practice Committee, the sangha member who brought the conflict to the Committee’s attention can request assistance from the entire Deepening Practice Committee.

NOTE: For complaints involving accusations of physical harm, inappropriate physical or sexual contact, or any criminal conduct, steps 2 through 4 will not apply, and the ID Board will involve appropriate outside entities as necessary. 

2. As stated in the Plum Village Conflict Resolution Guide, everything is seen as an opportunity for deepening practice. All parties will be asked to let go of a victim mentality and explore what they are bringing of themselves to the conflict. All involved in the conflict will be encouraged to practice metta for the other(s) involved. In addition, each party will fill out a “Conflict Analysis Form” (attached for reference). In this way, we use conflict to learn first about ourselves, then about others, and finally how to develop skillful responses.

3. The parties will have two weeks for practicing metta and filling out the “Conflict Analysis Form,” after which they will be encouraged to come together during an additional two week period to have a discussion based on the Analysis Forms. When meeting, it is recommended they start with meditation, speak with clarity and honesty, and listen deeply. Any party may request the presence of a Deepening Practice Committee member to attend this one-on-one meeting, or, they may decline such a meeting and proceed to #4.

4. If the conflict can not be resolved by the parties meeting on their own, then the entire Deepening Practice Committee will meet separately with each party to review their experience of the process so far. It is important that the Deepening Practice Committee fully hear each party as that is a critical step to facilitation and reconciliation. The Deepening Practice Committee will then meet with all parties jointly to help facilitate a reconciliation. All parties will be encouraged to embrace the opportunity to find common ground, acknowledge both impact and intent, practice deep listening, and bring harmony to the meeting by projecting good will onto all involved. This step is to occur within a four week period after the initial concern is voiced to a Deepening Practice Committee member.

5. If reconciliation is still unattainable, the Deepening Practice Committee will request assistance from the ID Board to formulate a recommendation of how to resolve the complaint. The parties in conflict will be asked to agree in advance to abide by such recommendation to remain in good standing with the sangha. If any party can not agree to abide by the recommendation, they may give a written explanation for their position and submit it to the ID Board which will then vote on whether to uphold the recommendation. The ID Board may consider an outside mediator, spiritual mentors, and/or legal avenues to help resolve the issue.

When the Deepening Practice Committee has been asked to facilitate a particular complaint, it will report to the ID Board weekly on the progress of the matter. All parties involved in any ongoing conflict are encouraged to remain in sangha and participate in events and meditation periods, and above all, to keep communication open in order to look deeply at any beliefs, views, assumptions and other mental constructs that would work to keep them away from sangha.

Any teacher involved in a complaint in which the entire Deepening Practice Committee is engaged in facilitation will be suspended from teaching until the matter has been resolved. Any teacher found by the ID Board to be at fault for intentional physical harm, inappropriate physical or sexual contact, or any criminal conduct will no longer be in good standing with the sangha and will be removed from all teaching positions.

Interpersonal Conflict Analysis
(Taken from Conflict Resolution Guide of The Plum Village Lineage North American Dharma Teachers Sangha which was adapted with permission from a Conflict Analysis Form by Alaya.)

1. Describe the conflict, in chronological order, to the best of your current ability and objectivity. It is often difficult to separate description from interpretation, yet that is what is being asked of you here. (Attach an additional page if needed, but please be brief and to the point. If it is hard to be succinct, you may need more meditation and reflection time, if it feels appropriate for you.)

2. Which of my personal beliefs and values are at play in this situation? For example, how was conflict handled in my family of origin? How has my experience within my family and other formative environments influenced my usual reaction to conflict (e.g., fight, flee, or freeze)? How might the past be shaping my perceptions and experience within this conflict? (You may wish to address this on a page to be added.)

3. How am I a part of the situation?

4. Who else is involved in the difficulty?

5. How and when and by whom were the other people involved informed that I perceived a difficulty between us?

6. How am I contributing to the problem?

7. What have I done to try to resolve the conflict? How have others tried to help resolve this situation?

8. What outcome do I want personally?

9. What outcome do I want for the Sangha (Community)?

10. In what ways am I (or could I) be keeping things stuck/unresolved?

11. What is my power (formal and informal) in the situation?

12. In what ways could I promote movement and resolution?

13. How am I viewing and using this conflict as part of my practice?

1. Please consider which of the following seem to be going on and then consider how they inform my current understanding of the conflict.

         ○ Power conflicts

         ○ Value Conflicts

         ○ Hidden Agenda

         ○ Territorial/Boundary Conflict

         ○ Policy/Processes Inadequate

         ○ Organization Structure Issues

         ○ Cultural Differences

         ○ Information Problems

         ○ Personality Conflict(s)

         ○ Erratic Personal Behavior

         ○ Value Conflicts

1. Communication Problems:

            ___ Lack of

            ___ Wrong Form

            ___ Inaccuracy of

            ___ Wrong time

            ___ Rumors/Gossip

            ___Wrong place

            ___ Other (Describe briefly.)

16. In my view, do additional Sangha (Community) members need to be included in order to reach resolution? If so: who are they, how do they need to be involved, and how do I suggest accomplishing this?

17. What elements or conditions does a solution need to include or meet? (What does resolved look like?)

18. What are the alternatives to resolution?

19. What ways do I see that this conflict could be resolved right now?

20. In the absence of a solution agreed between the parties, am I willing to agree to abide by a decision made by three senior sangha members acceptable to each side?

          ___Yes ___No