Monthly Archives: December 2014

As monks lead such secluded lives, how qualified are they to give advice to lay people on their family and work problems?

As monks lead such secluded lives, how qualified are they to give advice to lay people on their family and work problems? People from every social class and livelihood, old and young, male and female, go to visit senior monks. People discuss their lives and problems with these monks in the same way that people in the West might talk to a priest or therapist. As a result, such monks tend to have a good grasp of the kinds of issues facing their lay disciples. A life devoted to understanding of the human mind means that senior monks, particularly the […]

What monks do every day?

What do Buddhist monks do all day? The daily life of the monks depends on the kind of monastery they live in, and the stage of their monastic career. In the monasteries situated in the villages, towns and cities of Thailand, monks attend morning and evening services, go on almsround in the early morning, and spend the rest of their day studying, teaching or performing ceremonial duties. Generally speaking, meditation practice does not constitute a major part of their life. Monks in these monasteries take two meals a day, the first after almsround and the second at around eleven a.m. […]

Do Buddhist monastics take lifetime vows?

Do Buddhist monastics take lifetime vows? Entering the monastic order entails making a commitment to monastic training that is left open-ended. Privately, a monk might make a vow to remain in robes for the rest of his life, but it is not expected of him. In fact, the majority of those who enter the order eventually leave it. Temporary ordination has long been a key feature of Thai Buddhism. Traditionally, young men have become monks for the three-month rainy season retreat (vassa), which is held between the full moons of July and October. The value of this custom lies firstly […]

What does “tudong” mean?, What is a “tudong monk”?

What does “tudong” mean? What is a “tudong monk”? The [Thai] term “tudong” is derived from the Pali term “dhutanga” and refers to thirteen practices allowed to the Sangha by the Buddha that “go against the grain”. This list of ascetic practices includes eating one meal a day, eating all food from almsbowl and living at the root of a tree, and concludes with the most demanding: abstaining from the posture of lying down. The tudong practices play a prominent role in the forest monasteries of northeast Thailand, and many are embedded in a daily life of the monastic communites. […]

Is it necessary to join the monastic order to realize enlightenment?

Is it necessary to join the monastic order to realize enlightenment? The Sangha was established by the Buddha specifically in order to provide the optimum conditions for those men and women wishing to commit themselves wholeheartedly to his path of awakening. For this reason, the Sangha is the most supportive vocation for those truly serious about Buddhist practice. However, not everyone is suited to monastic life, and many people serious about Buddhist practice have obligations that make ordination impossible. Fortunately for those who cannot or do not wish to lead a monastic life, following the path to enlightenment as a […]

Why did the Buddha allow monks to eat meat?

Why did the Buddha allow monks to eat meat? The first and most important reason is that eating meat is not, in itself, considered blameworthy. The Buddha allowed monks to eat meat if they had not seen, heard or suspected that any living beings had been killed specifically to make the dish for them. In such a case, having made no direct contribution to the death of the creature, monks made no kamma by consuming its flesh. The Buddha neither forbade monks to practice vegetarianism, nor praise it. His teachings on food focused on the importance of eating easily digestible […]

What is the purpose of almsround?

What is the purpose of almsround? Buddhists consider that the work of monastics (the study, practice and teaching of Dhamma) is so important that they should be free to pursue it without concern for basic material necessities of life. Householders believe much merit is acquired by offering material support to the Sangha. The Buddha designed the monastic discipline in such a way as to prevent monks from completely cutting themselves off from the world. The training rules dealing with food play a major part in fulfilling this aim. One rule, for example, stipulates that monks may only eat food that […]

What is the purpose of the monastic celibacy?

What is the purpose of the monastic celibacy? The sangha was established by the Buddha for those wishing to devote themselves single-mindedly to his path of awakening. The Buddha designed monastic life to be one of radical simplicity, with the minimum amount of unnecessary distraction. Romantic attachments, sexual relationships, and their usual outcome –parenting- are all incompatible with the training he devised. They would also compromise the symbiotic relationship between the mendicant order and society at large which the Buddha envisaged. The Buddha discovered that the more subtle forms of happiness and the experience of true well-being are rarely accessible, […]

What is the Vinaya?

What is the Vinaya? The Vinaya is the name given to the compendium of training rules, protocols, procedures and duties laid down by the Buddha for the monastic order. The Vinaya is intended to maintain harmony within amongst monastic communities and to create the optimum conditions for the practice of Dhamma by each individual monk. The heart of the Vinaya is the Patimokkha, the 227 rules which constitute the basic code of discipline. The Patimokkha is divided into a number of sections. The first consists of four expulsion offenses: sexual intercourse, stealing, killing a human being, making bogus claims of […]

Why do monks wear robes of different colors?

Why do monks wear robes of different colors? The bright yellow or orange-colored robes are usually worn by monks living in monasteries situated in villages, towns and cities. The darker colored robes are usually worn by monks from forest monasteries. Most monks nowadays wear robes made of synthetic material. These robes are produced commercially in a variety of colors, bought by lay Buddhists, and then offered to monks. In most monasteries a set color is prescribed, but in some monasteries monks are free to wear whatever colored robe is offered to them, provided it lies within acceptable boundaries. In many […]

Why do Buddhist monastics shave their heads?

Why do Buddhist monastics shave their heads? Hair is a major focus of the human desire to beautify the body and project a particular image in the world. Monastics shave their heads as an expression of their aspiration to renounce personal vanity. Doing so server as a reminder to themselves and others that now they have left the world. The sight of a Buddhist monastic in brown robes and shaven head is a memorable one. People seeing them may became curious or intrigued, feel uplifted, be reminded of the need to be alert and awake. Thus Buddhist monastics propagate the […]

What does “Sangha” mean?

What does “Sangha” mean? The word “Sangha” is used in two ways. Firstly, it is the name given to the monastic order, hence the phrase, “The Thai Sangha”. Secondly, it refers to the community of all those who have realized one of the four stages of enlightenment. Two categories overlap to a high degree: over the past 2,600 years the vast majority of those who have realized stages of enlightenment have been members of the monastic order. Nevertheless, monastic life is not necessary condition for enlightenment. There have many members of the enlightened Sangha who have lived (and live) as […]

What is the meaning of not-self?

What is the meaning of not-self? The unenlightened person assumes that there is a permanent independent entity behind our experience, and that this entity is our self, who we really are. We take for granted that this “me” is the one who sees, who thinks, who feels, who hears, who talks, who acts. The Buddha taught that this understanding of who we are is mistaken, based upon a certain fundamental misperceptions, and is the root of cause of human suffering. Buddhism teaches that far from being the solid center of experience, the sense of self is created moment by moment, […]

Impermanence

Why impermanence given so much importance in Buddhism?

Why impermanence given so much importance in Buddhism? Impermanence is the central feature of existence. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Nothing lasts. Although this may seem a trite observation, close investigation reveals how many of our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, desires and fears occur precisely because the truth of impermanence is constantly forgotten. Continually reflecting on the impermanent conditioned nature of things prevents us from getting carried away and heedless when things go well, and from getting depressed and discouraged when things go badly. In meditation, the focused mind develops insight into its own nature through observing the moment by […]

Do Buddhists believe in spirits?

Do Buddhists believe in spirits? The Buddha confirmed the presence in the world of non-human beings invisible to the naked eye. The existence of these beings has been verified over the years by gifted meditators who have developed the faculties necessary to perceive them. The vast majority of Buddhists who are not able to verify the truth in this matter take it on trust. Others of a more skeptical disposition reserve their judgment. Buddhist teachers consider that more important than arousing faith in the existence of such invisible beings is instilling wise attitudes toward them. The Buddha taught that all […]