Chapter 10: Monks and Nuns

Q1 The monastic institution is an important one in Buddhism. What is the purpose of monks and nuns and what are they supposed to do?
The Buddha's purpose in founding an order of monks and nuns was to provide an environment in which spiritual development would be easier. The lay community provide monks and nuns with their basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, and medicine - so they can devote their time to the study and practice of the Dhamma. The ordered and simple lifestyle of the monastery is conducive to inner peace and meditation. In return, the monks and nuns are expected to share what they know with the community and act as an example of how good Buddhist should live. In actual practice this basic mission has sometimes been extended far beyond what the Buddha originally intended and today monks and nuns sometimes act as school teachers, social workers, artists, doctors and even politicians. Some have argued that taking such roles is alright if it helps to promote Buddhism. Other point out that by doing such things monks and nuns too easily get entangled in worldly problems and forget the purpose why they went to the monastery in the first place.

Q2 Do you have to be a monk or a nun to be enlightened?
Of course not. Some of the Buddha's most accomplished disciples were lay men and women. Some were spiritually developed enough to instruct the monks. In Buddhism the level of one's understanding is the most important thing and that has nothing to do with whether one wears yellow robe or blue jeans, or whether one loves in a monastery or a home. Some might find the monsatery, with all its advantages and disadvantages to be the best environment in which to grow spiritually. Others may find the home with all its joys and sorrows, to be best. Everyone is different.



Q3 Why do Buddhist monks and nuns wear a yellow robe?
When the ancient Indians looked into the jungle they could always tell which leaves were about to drop from the tree, because they were either yellow, orange or brown. Consequently, in India, yellow became the color of renunciation. Monk's and nun's robes are yellow so they can act as a constant reminder of the importance of not clinging, of letting go, of giving up.

Q4 What is the purpose of monks and nuns shaving their heads?
Normally we are very concerned about our appearance, especially our hair. Women consider a good hairdo to be very important and men are quite concerned about going bald. Keeping our hair looking good takes up a good deal of time. In shaving their heads monks and nuns give themselves more time for the things that really matter. Also, a shaved head symbolised the idea of paying more attention to inward than outward appearance.

Q5 Becoming a monk is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a monk?
One should ask the same thing about any vocation. 'Becoming a dentist is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a dentist? There'd be no teachers, no cooks, no taxi drivers.' 'Becoming a teach is all very well but what would happen if everyone became a teacher? There'd be no dentist, etc. etc.' 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 life of simplicity and renunciation and who take delight in the Buddha's teaching above all else. And like dentist and teachers they have special skills and knowledge that can be helpful to the community in which they live.

Q6 That might be so with those who teach, wirte books or do social work. But what about the nonks and nuns who do nothing but meditate. What good are they to the community?
You might compare the meditating monk to the research scientist. Society supports the research scientist as he sits in his laboratory conducting experiments because it hopes that he will eventually discover or invent something that will be for the general good. Likewise, the Buddhist community supports the meditating monk (and his needs are vert meager) because it hopes that he will attain wisdom and insights that will be for the general good. But even before this happens or even if it doesn't, the meditating monk can still benefit others. In some modern societies it is 'The Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous' with its extravagance, its conspicuous consumption and its self-indulgence which is held up as the ideal to follow, or at least to envy. The example that the meditating monk sets reminds us that one doesn't have to be rich to be content . It shows us that a gentle and simple lifestyle has its advantages too.

Q7 I have heard that there are no more Buddhist nuns. Is this true?
The Buddha founded the order of nuns during his lifetime and for five or six hundred years, nuns played an important role in the spread and development of Buddhism. But for reasons that are not clear nuns never commanded the same esteem or received the same support, as monks and in India and Southeast Asia the order died out. However, in Taiwan, Korea and Japan the order of nuns has continued to flourish. Today in Sri Lanka, steps are being take to reintroduce the order of nuns from Taiwan although some traditionalists are not very enthisiastic about this. However, in keeping with the Buddha's original intention, it is only right that women as well as men have the opportunity to live the monastic life and benefit from it.