Bhikkhu
Bhikkhu | |
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ALA-LC: Bhikkhu | |
Nepali name | |
Nepali | भिक्षु |
Sinhala name | |
Sinhala | භික්ෂුව |
Telugu name | |
Telugu | భిక్షువు, bhikṣuvu |
Odia name | |
Odia | ଭିକ୍ଷୁ, Bhikhyu |
A bhikkhu (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, bhikṣu) is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism.[1] Male and female monastics ("nun", bhikkhunī, Sanskrit bhikṣuṇī) are members of the Sangha (Buddhist community).[2]
The lives of all Buddhist monastics are governed by a set of rules called the prātimokṣa or pātimokkha.[1] Their lifestyles are shaped to support their spiritual practice: to live a simple and meditative life and attain nirvana.[3]
A person under the age of 20 cannot be ordained as a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni but can be ordained as a śrāmaṇera or śrāmaṇērī.
Definition
Bhikkhu literally means "
In the Dhammapada commentary of Buddhaghoṣa, a bhikkhu is defined as "the person who sees danger (in samsara or cycle of rebirth)" (Pāli: Bhayaṃ ikkhatīti: bhikkhu). Therefore, he seeks ordination to obtain release from the cycle of rebirth.[5] The Dhammapada states:[6]
[266-267] He is not a monk just because he lives on others' alms. Not by adopting outward form does one become a true monk. Whoever here (in the Dispensation) lives a holy life, transcending both merit and demerit, and walks with understanding in this world — he is truly called a monk.
Buddha accepted female bhikkhunis after his step-mother Mahapajapati Gotami organized a women's march to Vesāli. and Buddha requested her to accept the Eight Garudhammas. So, Gotami agreed to accept the Eight Garudhammas and was accorded the status of the first bhikkhuni. Subsequent women had to undergo full ordination to become nuns.[7]
Ordination
Theravada
Theravada monasticism is organized around the guidelines found within a division of the
Mahayana
In the Mahayana monasticism is part of the system of "vows of individual liberation".[5] These vows are taken by monks and nuns from the ordinary sangha, in order to develop personal ethical discipline.[5] In Mahayana and Vajrayana, the term "sangha" is, in principle, often understood to refer particularly to the aryasangha (Wylie: mchog kyi tshogs), the "community of the noble ones who have reached the first bhūmi". These, however, need not be monks and nuns.
The vows of individual liberation are taken in four steps. A lay person may take the five
Monastics take their vows for life but can renounce them and return to non-monastic life[8] and even take the vows again later.[8] A person can take them up to three times or seven times in one life, depending on the particular practices of each school of discipline; after that, the sangha should not accept them again.[9] In this way, Buddhism keeps the vows "clean". It is possible to keep them or to leave this lifestyle, but it is considered extremely negative to break these vows.
In 9th century Japan, the monk
During Japan's Meiji Restoration during the 1870s, the government abolished celibacy and vegetarianism for Buddhist monastics in an effort to secularise them and promote the newly created State Shinto.[11][12] Japanese Buddhists won the right to proselytize inside cities, ending a five-hundred year ban on clergy members entering cities.[13][page needed] Currently, priests (lay religious leaders) in Japan choose to observe vows as appropriate to their family situation. Celibacy and other forms of abstaining are generally "at will" for varying periods of time.
After the
In Korea, the practice of celibacy varies. The two sects of Korean Seon divided in 1970 over this issue; the Jogye Order is fully celibate while the Taego Order has both celibate monastics and non-celibate Japanese-style priests.
Vajrayana
In Tibet, the upāsaka, pravrajyā and bhikṣu ordinations are usually taken at ages six, fourteen and twenty-one or older, respectively.
Tibetan Vajrayana often calls ordained monks lama.[15]
Additional vows in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions
In Mahayana traditions, a Bhikṣu may take additional vows not related to ordination, including the Bodhisattva vows, samaya vows and others, which are also open to laypersons in most instances.
Robes
The special dress of ordained people, referred to in English as robes, comes from the idea of wearing a simple durable form of protection for the body from weather and climate. In each tradition, there is uniformity in the color and style of dress. Color is often chosen due to the wider availability of certain pigments in a given geographical region. In Tibet and the Himalayan regions (Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan), red is the preferred pigment used in the dyeing of robes. In Myanmar, reddish brown; In India, Sri Lanka and South-East Asia, various shades of yellow, ochre and orange prevail. In China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, gray or black is common. Monks often make their own robes from cloth that is donated to them.[1]
The robes of Tibetan novices and monks differ in various aspects, especially in the application of "holes" in the dress of monks. Some monks tear their robes into pieces and then mend these pieces together again.
In observance of the Kathina Puja, a special Kathina robe is made in 24 hours from donations by lay supporters of a temple. The robe is donated to the temple or monastery and the resident monks then select from their own number a single monk to receive this special robe.[16]
Gallery
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A Theravadin Buddhist monk in Laos
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A Theravadin Buddhist monk in USA
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A Chinese Buddhist monk in mainland China
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A Chinese Buddhist monk in Taiwan
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A Buddhist monk in the U.S. (Chinese Buddhism)
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A Buddhist monk in Tibet
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Monks in Luang Prabang, Laos
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Monks in Thailand
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Monks inMyanmar (Burma)
Historical terms in Western literature
In English literature before the mid-20th century, Buddhist monks, particularly from East Asia and French Indochina, were often referred to by the term bonze. This term is derived from Portuguese and French from Japanese bonsō 'priest, monk'. It is rare in modern literature.[17]
Buddhist monks were once called talapoy or talapoin from French talapoin, itself from Portuguese talapão, ultimately from Mon tala pōi 'our lord'.[18][19]
The Talapoys cannot be engaged in any of the temporal concerns of life; they must not trade or do any kind of manual labour, for the sake of a reward; they are not allowed to insult the earth by digging it. Having no tie, which unites their interests with those of the people, they are ready, at all times, with spiritual arms, to enforce obedience to the will of the sovereign.
— Edmund Roberts, Embassy to the eastern courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat[19]
The talapoin is a monkey named after Buddhist monks just as the capuchin monkey is named after the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (who also are the origin of the word cappuccino).
See also
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References
- ^ a b c "Lay Guide to the Monks' Rules". Archived from the original on 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ISBN 0-02-865718-7.
- ^ "What is a bhikkhu?". Archived from the original on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
- ^ Buddhist Dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines by Nyanatiloka Mahathera.
- ^ a b c "Resources: Monastic Vows". Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ^ Buddharakkhita, Acharya. "Dhammapada XIX — Dhammatthavagga: The Just". Access To Insight. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
- ^ "Life of Buddha: Maha Pajapati Gotami - Order of Nuns (Part 2)". www.buddhanet.net. Archived from the original on 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
- ^ a b "how to become a monk?". Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
- ^ "05-05《律制生活》p. 0064". Archived from the original on 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
- ^ Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, Soka Gakkai, 'Dengyo'
- ^ "Shinto history". Archived from the original on 2011-12-11. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- ^ "JAPANESE BUDDHISM TODAY". Archived from the original on 2011-12-10. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- ISBN 978-0-313-30456-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-87-87062-12-1.
- ISBN 978-0-00-215321-8.
- ^ Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka Archived 2013-03-28 at the Wayback Machine, A.G.S. Kariyawasam
- ^ "Dictionary.com: bonze". Archived from the original on 2003-02-28. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "talapoin". Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers. WordReference.com. June 23, 2013. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
Etymology: 16th Century: from French, literally: Buddhist monk, from Portuguese talapão, from Mon tala pōi our lord ...
- ^ a b Roberts 1837, p. 237.
Sources
- ISBN 9780608404066.
Further reading
- Inwood, Kristiaan. Bhikkhu, Disciple of the Buddha. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Watana Panich, 1981. Revised edition. Bangkok: Orchid Press, 2005. ISBN 978-974-524-059-9.
External links
Buddhist monks.