Following the Buddha’s parinirvana, the Buddhist community continued to orally pass down the Teachings from one generation to another. The first written versions of the Buddha’s message of liberation did not appear until two hundred years after his departure from the world. Some of the oldest Buddhist texts to survive into modern times were written in an ancient Indian dialect called Pali.
These works came to be called the “Pali Canon.” The living oral tradition (used in one-to-one meditation instruction) and these documents form the heart of the Theravada (“School of the Elders”) tradition. It is the dominant form of Buddhism practiced today in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. This tradition is also sometimes simply referred to as the "Southern school" of Buddhism.
The Pali Canon consists of three distinct collections called the Tripitika (“Three Baskets”). It consists of the Buddha's discourses (Suttanta), the rules of conduct governing monastic life (Vinaya), and various studies governing the development of spiritual insight (Abhidhamma). The Pali word sutta--like the Sanskrit word sutra--literally means “thread” or “string.” It is often compared to the plumb line of masons and carpenters, used to ensure the accuracy of the work.
The disciplinary texts, which set forth the rules of conduct for monks and nuns, describe Buddhist monastic life in great detail. Boys and girls had to be at least seven years old before they could become novices. In addition, a male had to be at least 20 years old before he could receive full ordination as a monk.
Prior to the ordination ceremony, the candidate’s hair and beard were shaved off and the initiate was garbed in saffron-colored monastic robes. During the ceremony itself, the candidate saluted the monks present and thrice chanted the following:
The Pali Canon consists of three distinct collections called the Tripitika (“Three Baskets”). It consists of the Buddha's discourses (Suttanta), the rules of conduct governing monastic life (Vinaya), and various studies governing the development of spiritual insight (Abhidhamma). The Pali word sutta--like the Sanskrit word sutra--literally means “thread” or “string.” It is often compared to the plumb line of masons and carpenters, used to ensure the accuracy of the work.
The disciplinary texts, which set forth the rules of conduct for monks and nuns, describe Buddhist monastic life in great detail. Boys and girls had to be at least seven years old before they could become novices. In addition, a male had to be at least 20 years old before he could receive full ordination as a monk.
Prior to the ordination ceremony, the candidate’s hair and beard were shaved off and the initiate was garbed in saffron-colored monastic robes. During the ceremony itself, the candidate saluted the monks present and thrice chanted the following:
Buddham saranam gacchami,
Dhamman saranam gacchami,
Sangham saranam gacchami.
("I go for guidance to the Buddha, I go for guidance to the Dharma, I go for guidance to the Sangha.")
This is the Buddhist "trinity" known as the Three Gems, which some say represents the body (Buddha), speech (Dharma), and mind (Sangha) of Sakyamuni (a title for the Buddha meaning the "Sage of the Sakyas.")
Precepts calculated to, as much as possible, remove desire from the human equation governed all aspects of monastic life. For example, monks and nuns were required to remain chaste at all times. Members of the Sangha also had to refrain from dancing, singing, or otherwise participating in frivolous entertainments. In addition, the monastic precepts set forth rules concerning the clothing and personal items monks and nuns were allowed to use.
The survival of each monastic community was completely in the hands of local laypeople, who obtained spiritual merit by bestowing food, clothing, and other offerings upon the monks and nuns. Monks and nuns were barred from participating in any business activity and could not accept money. All food had to be obtained on alms round, door to door, as freely offered by people wishing to give. In addition, ascetic dietary codes were established that restricted the intake of solid food to a single meal which had to be consumed prior to the “horse-hour” of local noon.
Each monastic community held regular meetings on the 8th and 14th of the lunar half-month, at which time the members confessed any infraction of the monastic rules in front of the monastic community. In addition, monks and nuns were not allowed to travel during the rainy season. These are just a few examples of the rules that ensured the survival of a monastic community, the Teachings, and the possibility of successful meditation leading to the attainment of the highest bliss, nirvana, in this very life.
Precepts calculated to, as much as possible, remove desire from the human equation governed all aspects of monastic life. For example, monks and nuns were required to remain chaste at all times. Members of the Sangha also had to refrain from dancing, singing, or otherwise participating in frivolous entertainments. In addition, the monastic precepts set forth rules concerning the clothing and personal items monks and nuns were allowed to use.
The survival of each monastic community was completely in the hands of local laypeople, who obtained spiritual merit by bestowing food, clothing, and other offerings upon the monks and nuns. Monks and nuns were barred from participating in any business activity and could not accept money. All food had to be obtained on alms round, door to door, as freely offered by people wishing to give. In addition, ascetic dietary codes were established that restricted the intake of solid food to a single meal which had to be consumed prior to the “horse-hour” of local noon.
Each monastic community held regular meetings on the 8th and 14th of the lunar half-month, at which time the members confessed any infraction of the monastic rules in front of the monastic community. In addition, monks and nuns were not allowed to travel during the rainy season. These are just a few examples of the rules that ensured the survival of a monastic community, the Teachings, and the possibility of successful meditation leading to the attainment of the highest bliss, nirvana, in this very life.
No comments:
Post a Comment