Buddhist monk

Definition

Bhikkhu literally means "beggar" or "one who lives by alms". The historical Buddha, Prince Siddhartha, having abandoned a life of pleasure and status, lived as an alms mendicant as part of his śramaṇa lifestyle. Those of his more serious students who renounced their lives as householders and came to study full-time under his supervision also adopted this lifestyle. These full-time student members of the sangha became the community of ordained monastics who wandered from town to city throughout the year, living off alms and stopping in one place only for the Vassa, the rainy months of the monsoon season.

In the Dhammapada commentary of Buddhaghoṣa, a bhikkhu is defined as "the person who sees danger (in samsara or the cycle of rebirth)" (Pāli: Bhayaṃ ikkhatīti: bhikkhu). Therefore, he seeks ordination to obtain release from the cycle of rebirth. The Dhammapada states:

[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. 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.

Ordination

The bhikkhu order, in its earliest form, upheld continuous movement for eight months a year, and ate one meal a day received from begging. Generally, those who want to be ordained have to be 21 years old.

Theravada

Theravada monasticism is organized around the guidelines found within a division of the Pāli Canon called the Vinaya Pitaka. Lay followers will undergo ordination as a novitiate (śrāmaṇera or sāmanera) in a rite known as the "going forth" (Pali: pabbajja). Sāmaneras are subject to the Ten Precepts. From there full ordination (Pali: upasampada) may take place. Bhikkhus are subject to a much longer set of rules known as the Pātimokkha (Theravada) or Prātimokṣa (Mahayana and Vajrayana).

Mahayana

In Mahayana Buddhism, Vinaya based monasticism is part of the system of "vows of individual liberation". These vows are traditionally taken by monks and nuns from the ordinary sangha, in order to develop personal ethical discipline. East Asian Buddhism generally follows the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, while Tibetan Buddhism's monastic sangha follows the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya.

In Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions like Tibetan Buddhism, the term "sangha" is, at the highest level, often understood to refer particularly to the aryasangha (Wylie: mchog kyi tshogs), the "community of the noble ones who have reached the first [bodhisattva] bhūmi". These need not be monks and nuns per se. Nevertheless, most traditional Mahayana communities maintain Vinaya ordination, with the exception of most of Japanese Buddhism (see below).

Traditionally, the vows of individual liberation are taken in four levels. A lay person may take the five upāsaka and upāsikā vows (Wylie: dge snyan (ma), "approaching virtue"). The next step is to enter the pabbajja or monastic way of life (Skt: pravrajyā, Wylie: rab byung), which includes wearing monk's or nun's robes. After that, one can become a samanera or samaneri "novice" (Skt. śrāmaṇera, śrāmaṇeri, Wylie: dge tshul, dge tshul ma). The final step is to take all the vows of a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni "fully ordained monastic" (Sanskrit: bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, Wylie: dge long (ma)).

Monastics take their vows for life but can renounce them and return to non-monastic life and even take the vows again later. 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. In this way, Buddhism keeps the vows "clean". It is possible to keep them or to leave this lifestyle, but breaking these vows requires confession and expiation.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the upāsaka, pravrajyā and bhikṣu ordinations are traditionally taken at ages six, fourteen and twenty-one or older, respectively. Tibetan Buddhism also includes a system of non-celibate clergy, called Ngakpas. These Tibetan clergy may still be called "lamas", but they do not follow the monastic Vinaya precepts. Nevertheless, all Tibetan Buddhists may still take additional vows not related to Vinaya ordination, including the Bodhisattva vows, tantric samaya vows and others, which are also open to laypersons in most instances.

Monastic robes

The special dress of ordained Buddhist monks is called kāṣāya in Sanskrit, referred to in English as robes. The idea of wearing a simple durable form of protection for the body from weather and climate is ancient and goes back to Indian sramana traditions. In each Buddhism tradition, there is some 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, yellow, gray or black is common. In some traditions, monks often make their own robes from cloth that is donated to them.

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. Upāsakas cannot wear the "chö-göö", a yellow tissue worn during teachings by both novices and full monks.

Theravada countries observe a rite called the Kathina Puja, in which 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.

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.

Buddhist monks were once called talapoy or talapoin from French talapoin, itself from Portuguese talapão, ultimately from Mon tala pōi 'our lord'.

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.

The talapoin is a monkey named after Buddhist monks, much like the capuchin monkey is named after the Catholic Capuchin friars.