Definition and Historical Terms
– Bhikkhu literally means beggar or one who lives by alms.
– The historical Buddha, Prince Siddhartha, lived as an alms mendicant as part of his śramaṇa lifestyle.
– Serious students who renounced their lives as householders and studied full-time under the Buddha also adopted this lifestyle.
– Bhikkhus wandered from town to city throughout the year, living off alms.
– The Dhammapada states that a true monk is one who lives a holy life, transcending merit and demerit.
– Buddhist monks were often referred to as ‘bonze’ in English literature before the mid-20th century.
– The term ‘bonze’ is derived from Japanese ‘bonsō’ meaning priest or monk.
– Another historical term for Buddhist monks was ‘talapoy’ or ‘talapoin’ in French literature.
– Talapoys were not allowed to engage in temporal concerns, trade, or manual labor.
– The term ‘talapoin’ is also associated with a type of monkey named after Buddhist monks.
Ordination (Theravada)
– Theravada monasticism follows the guidelines found in the Vinaya Pitaka.
– Laypeople undergo ordination as a novitiate in a rite known as the going forth.
– Sāmaneras, or novices, are subject to the Ten Precepts.
– Full ordination, known as upasampada, can take place after the novitiate period.
– Bhikkhus are subject to a longer set of rules known as the Pātimokkha.
Ordination (Mahayana)
– In Mahayana, monasticism is part of the system of vows of individual liberation.
– Monks and nuns take vows to develop personal ethical discipline.
– The term ‘sangha’ in Mahayana can refer to the community of noble ones who have reached the first bhūmi.
– The vows of individual liberation are taken in four steps, starting from lay vows and progressing to full ordination.
– Monastics take their vows for life but can renounce them and return to non-monastic life.
Vows in Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions
– Bhikṣus in Mahayana can take additional vows not related to ordination, such as the Bodhisattva vows.
– Laypersons can also take these additional vows in most instances.
– Tibetan Vajrayana often refers to ordained monks as lamas.
– Additional vows in Vajrayana include the samaya vows.
– These vows contribute to the development of ethical discipline and spiritual practice.
Robes and Lay Renunciants
– Red is the preferred pigment used in the dyeing of robes in Tibet and the Himalayan regions.
– In Myanmar, reddish brown is the common color.
– Various shades of yellow, ochre, and orange prevail in India, Sri Lanka, and South-East Asia.
– Gray or black is common in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
– Monks often make their own robes from donated cloth.
– Tibetan novices and monks have different robes, especially in the application of holes.
– Some monks tear their robes into pieces and mend them together again.
– Upāsakas cannot wear the chö-göö, a yellow tissue worn during teachings.
– Kathina Puja involves making a special robe in 24 hours from donations.
– The robe is donated to the temple or monastery, and a single monk is selected to receive it.
– Anagārika and Anagārikā are lay renunciants.
– Maechi and thilashindasa sil mata are modern female lay renunciants.
– Upāsaka and Upāsikā are lay devotees. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu
