Buddhist Monasticism

Monasticism

Contents

• Classification of Buddhists
• Activities of an "Anagārika"
• A Daily Routine Example

Classification of Buddhists

• 在佛教中，信徒分为出家众和在家众两大类。出家众为僧人，在家众即所有的学佛人士。
• 出家众：Anagārika
• 在家众：Upāsaka

Difference

• In Buddhism, an Anagārika ("homeless one") is a person who has given up most or all of their worldly possessions and responsibilities to commit full-time to Buddhist practice.
• Upāsaka ("attendant") is the title of followers of Buddhism who are not monks.

Activities of an "Anagārika" （出家众）

• Pabbajja （出家）
• Monastic life （修行）
• Percepts （戒律）

Pabbajja（出家）

• Pabbajja literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of bhikkhus (fully ordained monks).

Monastic Life（修行）

• To live an austere life;
• To study Buddhist doctrine;
• To practice meditation;
• To observe a good moral character;
• ……

The Buddhist Percepts （戒律）

• The Five Percepts
• The Ten Percepts
• ……

The Five Percepts

• The Five Precepts are common to all Buddhist schools;
• The basic moral instructions to laypeople and Buddhist monks;
• Namely, "five moral virtues".

The Five Percepts

• Refrain from killing living things.
• Refrain from stealing.
• Refrain from unchastity (sensuality, sexuality, lust).
• Refrain from lying.
• Refrain from taking intoxicants.

Significance

• To help one live a life in which one is happy, without worries, and able to meditate well.
• Prevent suffering and to weaken the effects of greed, hatred and delusion

The Ten percepts = The Five Percepts + 5

• Refrain from taking food at inappropriate times (after noon).
• Refrain from singing, dancing, playing music, or other entertainments;
• Refrain from wearing cosmetics;
• Refrain from sitting or sleeping on soft chairs or beds.
• Refrain from accepting money.

The Daily Routine of an Anagārika

• Wake up (4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.)
• Slient meditation
• Breakfast
• Maintenance of the temple
• Morning meeting / buddhist classes

The Daily Routine of an Anagārika

• Lunch
• Meditation or classes
• Other monastic work
• Rest at night

What exactly do Buddhists eat?

Buddhists' food

• Cook for themselves
• Offered by people in neighborhood
• Vegetarians

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagarika
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81saka_and_Up%C4%81sik%C4%81
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_monasticism