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R T A N D C U L T U R E ··
M O N A S T I C R E Q U I S I T E S
Introduction |
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INTRO | ROBES | BOWL | DWELLINGS | SUNDRY | ||
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This section looks at the things that monks and nuns
'own'. It is an odd one as it touches on material included in several
other sections: vinaya, lifestyle, shrines, scriptures - even architecture
if you allow that the buildings of a monastery are owned by the Sangha.
The decision to create a separate section was based on the thought
that many of the items have a clear cultural origin - most notably
Indian - and that some of them have developed as a distinct art form. There are some items specifically mentioned in the vinaya which monastics are not allowed - e.g. gold and silver (this covers money), poisons (including alcohol), weapons, musical instruments, etc. These items either contravene the vinaya or are seen as leading to unskillful behaviour; i.e. having a weapon in hand will increase the chances of harming. There is also the matter of how a monk 'looks' in a society, with the image ideally being one of a calm, peaceful, wise and trustworthy being and monks with guns, bottles of grog, etc. belie that image - even if these things are not 'in-use'. Generally, it should be remembered that the whole point of (monastic) life is to realise enlightenment. It is not about judging things to be good or evil but using whatever is necessary to be awake and to bring awareness to the nature of one's relationship with all the things of this world. What is it about money (or food, or sex, or guns, or cars, or ... ) that so often makes us compromise our moral values and affect the way we relate to other people? In our consumer society there is a lot of emphasis on the material - 'you should have this and really do need one of these' - and it is often difficult to make a clear distinction between 'need and greed'. The body needs to be maintained - according to the circumstances it is in - and our requisites should be enough to do that. For lay people life is usually more complex than it is for monastics but the same, simple standards can be used for reflection. |
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INTRO | ROBES | BOWL | DWELLINGS | SUNDRY |