Buddhism is the oldest teaching of the East. What should be a Buddhist monk?

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

In recent decades, interest in Buddhism has been growing noticeably among the world's population. Or because this religion assumes the most measured and world-contemplative rhythm of life, which is very, very valuable in our daily turmoil. Or because everything exotic (and Buddhism, whatever one may say, is still exotic) intrigues and attracts.

Quite often, we are told tempting phrases like “Buddhist monk recommends”, “advice of the Dalai Lama”, etc. Many people fall for these kinds of posts. And thus they do not acquire spiritual knowledge, but on the contrary, they become more irritated and sow malice. Who is a Buddhist monk and does he give advice?

A Buddhist monk, as the name implies, is a person who professes Buddhism and becomes a monk according to the Vinaya, the code left by the Buddha to people. The basic principle, or, more precisely, the goal of a Buddhist monk is the knowledge of the Dhamma (this is the name of the path and teaching of the Buddha). However, in addition to studying the higher universe, a Buddhist monk also has an educationalmission - to bring knowledge to the laity. He is their teacher and often the only judge on earth who is able to fairly and according to the laws of his religion to resolve disputes and conflicts of his fellow citizens.

A real monk does not earn a living, but lives off the alms given to the temple by believers. You can become a monk from an early age (about seven years old), but Buddhism forever accepts men from the age of 20 into its bosom. At this age, a novice can make a vow that he will carry throughout his life.

As a reader noted, all novices have shaved heads. This tradition has a deep sacred meaning - the rejection of the pettiness of life and everything unnecessary. On the other hand, hair constantly requires care. And no hair - no problem.

The less personal things a monk has, the closer he is to heaven. Although you can not do without trifles. A novice is allowed to have a flashlight, a razor, needles and threads, a watch and writing tools (pens, pencils). Also, spiritual shepherds are vegetarians and have forever abandoned the love of women. They are forbidden not only to have intimate relationships with the opposite sex, but even to talk and think about it. At the same time, all monks should avoid communicating with ladies, so as not to fall into the clutches of temptation.

Buddhist monk on the web: believe it or not?

So should we, Internet users and adherents of all kinds of social networks, take on faith everything that lies behind the alluring headline "Advice from a Buddhist monk"?

Of courseit goes without saying that giving advice is quite the calling of Buddhist monks. But, of course, they do it in no way on the World Wide Web. No matter how leaps and bounds progress goes on the planet, not all of its benefits are accepted by strict followers of Buddhism. In any case, computers and other realities of modern civilization, in principle, are not supposed to Buddhist monks. What is there to talk about, if even the clothes of Buddhist monks are striking in their poverty? And there's nothing to be done - those are the rules. A Buddhist monk lives on alms, moves away from the blessings and temptations of worldly life as much as possible, sacrificing it to strict observance of vows (he has neither more nor less than 227!) and meditations. By the way, it is for the purpose of meditation that such an unusual and beautiful throat singing of Buddhist monks is practiced. It, according to the pupils of special educational institutions for future lamas (and there are such in Russia), serves to read a certain type of prayer. Precisely some, because in Buddhist monasteries there are even three different types of prayers.

In general, a Buddhist monk is seriously busy serving his God and is very far from doing all sorts of blogs and writing posts on the Web. That is why everything that is allegedly signed by him, in fact, is nothing more than a translation, a free retelling, or even simply the principles of Eastern philosophy interpreted by someone in their own way (of course, this does not apply to specific sites dedicated to Buddhism). Nobody forbids taking something for oneself: the east, indeed, is not only a delicate matter, but also a wise one. But overestimatethe canonicity of such instructions is also not worth it.