The, The Buddhist Monastic Order - 1692 Words

The Sangha, the Buddhist monastic order, comprises Bhikku (monks), Bhikkuni (nuns), laymen, and laywomen. While the Bhikku and Bhikkuni depend upon the laywomen and men for economic support, the lay community depends on them for spiritual guidance and ritualistic practices. This well-rounded mutual relationship is clearly a division not only amongst religious status, but determined by gender as well. This is quite a contradiction with the Buddhist belief that your physical self is impermanent and ultimately attachment to your illusory self will cause you suffering. The second Noble Truth states that suffering originates from our ongoing desire, a clinging to possessions, attachments, and self. Why would a religion founded in the idea of shedding attachment focus so much on gender, which is an attachment? I feel that the Buddha’s hesitation in allowing women to be initially recognized in the Sangha originates from his early childhood convictions of women, fear of the Dharma bec oming further compromised, and ultimately leading to the deterioration of Buddhism altogether. The Buddha’s hesitations regarding women becoming monastics seem to be questionable because of the way women have responded to this discrimination even during the Buddha’s lifetime. These women are evidently devoted to the ideals and teachings of Buddhism because of their ability to shed attachments and embody a fully monastic lifestyle. As they are shedding their attachments they give up their gender.Show MoreRelatedThe And Lay Followers And The Buddhist World933 Words   |  4 PagesMonastics and lay followers are both essential in ensuring that the Buddhist community, the Sangha, is run smoothly. A lay follower may be looked at as someone who isn’t completely devoted to Buddhism because they aren’t living the monastic lifestyle, obeying all the strict rules set forth in the Sekhiya Dhamma, such as â€Å"with downcast eye will I take a seat amidst the house s† and â€Å"not with too large balls will I make (up my food)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but the Sangha would not thrive without the vital help of lay followersRead MoreA Relationship Between Monastics And Lay Followers1699 Words   |  7 PagesThe relationship between monastics and lay followers is vital in ensuring that the Buddhist community, the Sangha, is run smoothly. A lay follower may be viewed as someone who isn’t completely devoted to Buddhism because they aren’t living the monastic lifestyle, obeying all the strict rules set forth in the Sekhiya Dhamma, such as â€Å"with downcast eye will I take a seat amidst the houses† and â€Å"not with too large balls will I make (up my food)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but the Sangha would not thrive without the vital helpRead MoreThe Impact Of Theravada Buddhism On Myanmar1288 Words   |  6 Pages and has influence in the West today. In the eleventh century C.E., King Anawratha established The Myanmas kingdom, it was at this time that he converted to Theravada Buddhism, despite a large Tantric Buddhist population in the kingdom. From then on, Myanmar has been known as a Theravada Buddhist country. As with most religions, the hermeneutics can vary; therefore, a hermeneutical analysis of Theravada Buddhism, specific to Myanmar, is essential in discovering how violence, ethnocentrism, and xenophobiaRead MoreDifferences Between the Laity and Monastic Worshippers Within Buddhist Tradition 1744 Words   |  7 PagesThe differences between the laity and monastic worshippers within Buddhist tradition are distinguished by the extent to which these two groups are willing to follow the middle-way as taught by Buddha. Typically, in order to have a functional Buddhist society, there must be the devout, and those who support the devout, giving aid in the form of food, monies, shelter, transportation, etc. The devout who sacrifice the purity of a true monastic lifestyle in order to support the community (who in tur nRead MoreThe Life Of A Global Renaissance Today1498 Words   |  6 Pagesboot camps for the battle of self-conquest. We need monasticism and its disciplines to become accessible to the masses, to help them in the form of secular educational curricula, disciplines of behavior, mind, and intellect, the three adishikshani. Monastic discipline involves walking through town while holding one’s body in a certain posture, with one’s eyes focused on the ground about an axle-length ahead of one’s body. One speaks in a certain way, one refrains from certain behaviors, one sits inRead MoreThe Original Buddhist Views Of Life1495 Words   |  6 PagesIt is firstly important to discuss the original Buddhist views of life including sex in Ancient India due to the fact that interpretations of them have changed in more modern years. Siddhartha Gautama, â€Å"himself as a prince was brought up surrounded by concubines† (Walshe 1). Gautama as the Prince was essentially s omeone who was not bothered by nor had reservations about sexual activity. Therefore, it was not until he became an ascetic that he changed those views. After his enlightenment he then believedRead MoreThe Four Noble Truths Of Buddhism1635 Words   |  7 PagesIn the history of Buddhism, suffering has always remained a key concept as it is the main reason for using Buddhist principles and practices to relieve ourselves from it. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism inform us of the following principles: suffering exists in life, there is a cause to our suffering, there is an end to our suffering, and following the eightfold path can relieve our suffering. Traditional forms of Buddhism suggest that we can overcome suffering by attaining Nirvana, or the stateRead MoreReligion Is A Conception Of One s Own Beliefs1289 Words   |  6 PagesSiddharth Gautam once said, â€Å"Believe only after careful observation and analysis†¦.† Religion is generally a conception of one’s own beliefs. It is within a religion where humanity develops the mindset of worship. However, one believes that in order to be religious one must follow and adhere to certain protocols within that distinct area of faith. Like Buddha says, belief should only be experienced after the analyzation and actual appraisal of the conception of religion and how one connects to itRead MoreA Brief History of Buddhism1417 Words   |  6 Pagesmajor religions of the world. It was founded by Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) in Northeastern India. It arose as a monastic movement during a time of Brahman tradition. Buddhism rejected important views of Hinduism. It did not recognize the validity of the Vedic Scriptures, nor the sacrificial cult which arose from it. It also questioned the authority of the priesthood. Also, the Buddhist movement was open to people of all castes, denying that a persons worth could be judged by their blood. TheRead MoreEssay about The Seperation of Hinduism and Buddhism1418 Words   |  6 Pagesreligion does have a large monastic order. These monks and nuns are the â€Å"sons and daughters of the Buddha† (Esposito, Fasching, and Lewis 406). Anyone, despite age or caste can be a Buddhist, worship freely, and join a monastic life style. (Mittal and Thursby 81) In Hinduism you have to be of the upper castes, and there are no specific monastic groups. There are many types of Hindu ascetics who live mostly in secluded life styles, but they are not comparable to the monastic groups of Buddhism. (Mittal