Buddhism states that there is a path to happiness and the Buddha can lead you there. Buddhist monks of all different orders are trying to reach happiness, or Nirvana. There may be some differences between the sects but the core beliefs surround the Buddha’s teachings and practices. An ordained monk or nun lives a special life. Some last a lifetime while others only for a brief time, however both experiences are moving. Tibetan Buddhist monks take there vows for life. When becoming a Buddhist monk it is very important that you do not rush into taking your vows.
Time must be taken to fully understand the advantages and isadvantages of becoming a Buddhist monk. Currently there are monasteries that allow you to live the life of a Buddhist monk for a few days, weeks or months in order to make the correct decision. The Tibetan tradition does not encourage those who take the vows to give them back and return to a secular lifestyle. As long as a monk asks permission he is able to freely leave the order. Theravadin Buddhist countries, like Thailand, believe that every man must have served as a monk at one point in his life.
These monks are referred to as “short-term” monks. The period that they are actually monks ay range from a few days to as long as a few months. This short-term service is seen as primarily a teaching tool. Living even a short period of time as a monk is believed to prepare the individual for life as a layman, householder and family head. Also this practice helps the individual earn merit with his family and especially his parents. Many people in these countries still chose to remain a monk for their lifetime.
Before making any final decisions on becoming either a short-term monk or a lifetime monk the fundamental teachings of the Buddha must be thoroughly understood. These teachings include the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Normally this involves a number of years of study and practice with the help of a teacher. This teacher will be your guide and sponsor. With your teacher you will learn how to live your everyday life according to the Buddhist teachings and practices. During this time you may live in a monastery to fully understand and appreciate this lifestyle.
Once you have made the decision to lead a monk’s life, you must approach the abbot or his secretary for an interview. You are then ccepted as a naga. Then are given training in the rules, daily chanting, and the ordination procedure. The length of training before ordination can be one month or less, the abbot might expect an applicant to spend at least 9 months as a layman and novice before higher ordination. During this period the layman wears a white robe and learns eight precepts. Novice monks wear the orange robes and are given ten precepts to follow along with seventy-five training rules.
There are certain requirements that must be met in order to be ordained. The novice must be at least twenty years old, ree of debt, free of any government or military duties and they must have the consent of their immediate family. The ordination ceremony uses the Pali language and the novice must memorize the lines. The novice must also memorize the 227 rules of discipline, called the Patimokkha, that the monks follow. Originally the Buddha did not allow woman to become nuns. Then Buddha received many requests from woman to allow them to become nuns.
He reconsidered his position and decided to allow woman in to the order. The first woman accepted as a nun was Paccabadi Gotami, the Buddha’s tepmother, who was ordained by the Buddha himself. In establishing the Bhikkhuni Sangha, or nuns, the Buddha added that any other ordinations should be held with a fully ordained bhikkhuni present as a witness. Since the time of Buddha there have always been nuns ordained into the order. In more recent years the number of woman becoming nuns became smaller and smaller. There came a point were there were no longer any fully ordained nuns in the world.
Without these fully ordained nuns there cannot be any present at the ordination of new nuns, this prohibits any new nuns rom becoming fully ordained themselves. Buddhist woman today can live in the order as an eight or ten precept novice but can never be fully ordained. Monks fall into two categories, the forest monk and the temple monk. The least common is the forest monk, he lives a solitary, hermetic state removed from monastic or lay society. Most Buddhist monks are temple monks. The temple monks live in a monastic community on temple grounds. Each monk regardless of lifestyle is in continuous pursuit of enlightenment and nirvana.
The temple monks are more involved in some lay community affairs than he forest monks are. Temple monks will participate in Buddhist holy day ceremonies, blessing new homes and businesses as well as funeral and cremation rites. Temple monks are also the teachers of novice monks, short- term monks and lay persons. Temple monks live in small huts called a khuti. The huts are plainly furnished with a table and a chair. The monk sleeps on a low, narrow bed, with a hard mattress. The monks are also allowed to keep books and texts. The forest monk can be found sleeping under a tent on a mat with no other material comforts.
Buddhist monks are truly extraordinary individuals. Not only have they left their families and careers but they live a purely ascetic life. Monks live a chaste, poor life with few possessions. Monks possessions are collected from offerings that are given to them by their family or community. People can only offer the monks items that are considered essential for the monk’s life. There are a total of eight necessary items included in a Buddhist monk’s garments and utensils, as passed down from Lord Buddha. The first garment piece is the Jeeworn or Mantle Robe. In ancient days monks would collect pieces of cloth from graveyards.
Several ifferent pieces had to be sewn together in one piece to form the robe. These dyes would turn the fabric into a brownish-yellow color. As more and more men became followers, Lord Buddha rejected any patched-together Jeeworn because it was not neat. The Buddha asked his cousin Ananda to create a neat design for the Jeeworn. Monks today still follow this neat design of the single piece Jeeworn. Their Jeeworn must cover their entire body when outside of the temple. However, when the monks are in their temple they leave the right shoulder uncovered. The second piece is the Sabong or skirt.
This is a simple, unadorned skirt. The size of this Sabong is much smaller than the size of the Jeeworn. The Sabong is regarded as the most important garment of Buddhist monks because it must be worn 24 hours a day. The third piece is the Prakod or cotton belt. This is a wide and thick belt. The primary purpose of the Prakod is to secure the Sabong. The fourth item completes the necessary items of the monks’ garments. The Sangkati or shoulder scarf is a long thick piece of fabric. The scarf is worn simply draped over the shoulder. The scarf is meant to serve the monks as a multipurpose cloth.
Some of the uses for the scarf range from a blanket or a pillow to a wash cloth and napkin. The monks’ next four necessary items are there only other possessions. The first item is a Bart or an alms bowl and its lid. The Bart is used when the monk goes collecting offerings of food to eat. Monks also need to keep a Meedgoan or razor with them. In order to show their rejection of ego and vanity monks are supposed to shave their head, and sometimes eyebrows, once a month. The shaving must be done one day before the middle of the lunar month. The Khem and Dai or needle and thread are also essential to a monk.
Having these two items allow the monks to patch any tears or holes that may damage their garments. Lastly, monks must have a Grabog Grong-Naam or water strainer. Monks believe that they must refrain from killing or hurting any animals and human beings. Therefore, the water-strainer assures that the drinking water is freed of all dirt and insects. Today there are several modern items that can be included here. These items are a blanket, a pillow, a hat, an umbrella, sandals, a palm fan, a bag and eating utensils. A day in the life of a monk is simple and beautiful.
Monks wake up hen the temple gongs are sounded in the early hours of the morning. After they wash and dress they meditate until it is light enough to go around and collect the alms offering. When a monk goes on his rounds he accepts whatever foods are placed in his alms bowl. He never asks for anything, accepting what is offered, standing silently, with eyes lowered, until after the offering is made, when he may chant a brief blessing for the donor. When they return to their huts they can eat their meal. This meal is usually their only one for the day. Some monks eat a second meal but no onks are allowed to eat after noon.
The rest of their day is spent meditating, reading, studying, and can sometimes include a nap. In the evening they attend the twilight ceremonial chanting. At night the monks sleeps for six sometimes four hours. Meditation is a conscious effort to change how the mind works. The Pali word for meditation is bhavana, meaning to grow or to develop. Meditation is very important because although we may want to make changes in our lives, it is not easy to have control of our thoughts and actions. Meditation develops awareness and the energy needed to change our old ways nd prepare for the right path.
There are many types of meditation, the Buddha taught a number of ways to meditate and particular ways to deal with specific problems. The most common are Mindfulness or Insight Meditation, called Vipassana, and Loving-kindness Meditation, called Samatha. The Pali word Nibbana is formed of Ni and Vana. Ni is a negative article and vana means desire. The ultimate goal of all Buddhists is to end the cycle of life and death, of reincarnation, by enlightenment and reaching nirvana or nibbana. Nirvana is not a place where we go; it is a state of mind and being.
Nirvana can be reached here on earth as the Buddha has. The Buddha said that “Nirvana is the highest happiness”. All Buddhist are living for Nirvana. The simple life facilitates the process. Meditations and ascetic living allow the mind to focus on its path and state of being. The Buddha ordained woman and there were many nuns for years, the teachings of the Buddha however prevents any future woman from being ordained. Buddhism may be all over the world and have different practices, but the Buddha is always the center and happiness is always everyone ultimate goal.
