Acording to the book "Old Path White Clouds" a biography of the Buddha by Thich Naht Hanh the Buddha prescribed the Monk's way of life as the most desirable as it was free of worry and responsibility.
Does this imply that to be a true follower of the Buddha's path one must give up all efforts and pursuits and just live off the efforts of others ?
2006-09-22 01:05:41 · 8 answers · asked by Ralph R 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If the whole world turned to the monks' carefree life who would feed the monks ?
2006-09-22 01:07:47 · update #1
The Buddha did not suggest that everyone should become a monk or nun and indeed that is never going to happen. However, there will always be people who are attracted to the life of simplicity and renunciation and who take delight in the Buddha's teaching above all else. And like dentists and teachers they have special skills and knowledge that can be helpful to the community in which they live.
being a monk doesn't mean that they do not have to work. they contribute by
1) promote & teaching the common people on buddhism- meditation, buddhist courses
2) volunteer work (like tzuchi foundation,& other charity organizations)
the monks and nuns have their own responsibilities, they need to strive hard. When they are practising themselves, they have to "practice diligently before and after midnight"; and in terms of their duty to the devotees, they should go around to preach the teaching of the Buddha. They lead a simple and hard life, striving for the benefit of Buddhism and all beings, benefiting one and another.
2006-09-22 02:13:50 · answer #1 · answered by sista! 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One of my favorite quotes is from Osho:
Laziness
If the whole world becomes lazy, we will have such a beautiful world with no wars, no atomic weapons, no nuclear weapons, no crime, no jails, no judges, no policemen, no presidents, no prime ministers. People will be so lazy that they won't need all this nonsense.
Just think about it some time: has any lazy person in the world ever done anything wrong? And still poor lazy people are condemned.
Lazy people have never done any harm to anybody - they cannot. They will not go to that much trouble. It is the active people who are the real problem.
2006-09-22 02:37:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it meant we must stop desiring for worldly things through many types of meditation and compassion. The life of a monk is free from mental stress, so it is easy to meditate. Physical work is in abundance, they must garden, to grow their own food, clean the monastary, write, all sorts of things.
The idea of a sannyasin monk is very old, it was built on the philosophy of an exchange of compassion. It is hardy ever practiced anymore. Instead monks group together in monastaries and live off of the land,
2006-09-22 01:18:10 · answer #3 · answered by Shinkirou Hasukage 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Budda told his monks to beg for a living
2006-09-22 01:09:10 · answer #4 · answered by owner4nothing 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must give up wordly pleasures but enlightenment can only be attained through your own strivings. I prefer to avoid biographies of a man who died 2600 years ago and study the teachings themselves, and then form my own opinions as to what he taught.
2006-09-22 01:41:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
read the unshaven beards for more information of how monks can brighten up from laziness
2006-09-22 01:09:05 · answer #6 · answered by george grohan mendal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-03-05 01:53:14 · answer #7 · answered by oscar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nobody they AR able to live of prana energy
2006-09-22 01:29:34 · answer #8 · answered by george p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋