There's something I noticed during my evening walks in the park near my house : Groups of monks from the nearby monastery/temple chit chatting happily as they cut through the park.
Initially, I thought they're doing their walking meditation.
But can't be, cos' they're talking and laughing away.
Oh well, maybe a leisurely evening stroll in the park, then - to get in touch with nature .........
But no, I was wrong.
Cos' they 'disappeared' after that!
Being the nosey parker me, I always wondered, "Where did they go?" or "Where are they heading?"
One day, I got my answer. (* Actually, many occasions after that as well)
I was going to the nearby hypermarket at the central shopping mall in my estate to get some things.
As I go down the escalator, I saw.
A monk, laden with shopping bags on one hand, holding and slurping his bubble tea with the other.
Then, I saw more joining him - all laden with shopping bags, talking excitedly about all the 'treasures' they found and bought, like some aunties out on a shopping spree.
As I make my way through the different aisles of the hypermarket, I saw one putting 2 canisters of potato chips in his basket which is filled with other titbits and cup noodles.
It looks like they're having a pyjamas party, since it's already past evening time.
When I went to the fruits/vegetables section, I saw one looking longingly and temptingly at the prepacked durians.
The durian seller, at the hypermarket, seeing how the monk was so attracted to his durians, kept egging and encouraging the monk to buy.
Don't they know according to The Vinaya (Rules for the monastics set down by The Buddha) monks are supposed to eat only one meal a day, and only before noon?
Somewhere in 2007, at Suntec City,
There was a talk-cum-puja by some renowned guru monk, and I saw hordes of monks and nuns in their shaven heads, robes and shoes/boots swarming the Suntec Food Court -
Very interested, and asking about the different food, and busily ordering them.
It was 2+ - 3pm.
Please don't misunderstand, I'm not criticising.
The above are just only 2 instances of the many observations which I've made and witnessed on many different occasions.
I'm just stating what I observed, and questioning.
It's kind of strange, isn't it -
If I as a lay person, can go on one meal a day, 3 - 4 times a week, sometimes eating only a fruit or fasting, why can't they?
If I can resist and be unaffected by all the arrays of food, titbits and durians around me, why can't they?
If I can make do with water, and not care about bubble tea, why can't they?
If I as a lay person can live simply, and be grateful and content with the little that I have, and not be affected by all the sensual pleasures and sensory concerns, why can't they?
If I can do without air-con, sleep in a NON-airconditioning room, why can't they?
AND, if I can be happy and content with exercising in a public park and not have my premises transformed into a swimming pool and badminton court for my leisure and pleasure, really - WHY CAN'T THEY ? ( and at a temple's ground at that)
You may feel that I'm imposing my views/perceptions of what a monastic should be, but don't forget : Precisely so - They Are The Monastics.
They made the vow to renounce. I didn't.
And as Bhikkhu Vissudhacara said in his book Dana (Giving),
"The monks keep 227 precepts which restrain them from indulgence in sensual pleasures.
As such, lay Buddhist thus consider monks to be in a better position to cultivate mental purity."
Since they've renounced, or made the vow to renounce, shouldn't they be setting a good example like The Great Buddha and His Savaka Arahants had, 2600 years ago?
Or at least, upkeep, uphold, maintain and abide by The Vinaya, their code of ethics, and live simply?
After all, I assume that's the reason why they renounced, Right?
To walk/follow in the footsteps of The Great Buddha - to be simple (and content).
Unless of course they have other unknown reasons or motives.
They should have known way before hand what it means/entails to be a monastic.
Cos' they are the ones who made the decision to renounce.
No one put a gun on their heads and force them to renounce.
If it's their free will, free choice and own decision to become a monastic, why aren't they upkeeping, upholding, maintaining, and abiding by their code of discipline - The Vinaya?
Why are they not respecting, and breaking their vows?
And don't forget, the word is, 'RENOUNCE'
Perhaps some people may find I'm too harsh and that they're just trying.
Then I'm afraid they're not trying hard enough.
They just have to TRY Harder.
I'm sorry.
And remember : The maintenance of the monastics are based on the charity of the people.
The monastics should not abuse it.
Secondly, would you trust/have faith in someone who breaks his/her promises/vows?
I know I won't.
Just as The Buddha said to Rahula his son,
"Rahula, just as no water remains in a vessel that is upturned,
NOT even a vestige of virtue will remain in a person who utters lies."
And as I wrote in "Truth/Honesty" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/truth-honesty.html,
"We need to admit/acknowledge our mistakes then we can do something about them."
It's just like a parent disciplining his/her child.
If the children do wrong, and we close our eyes/one eye on it,
We'll end up with a future generation of maybe very smart,
BUT spoilt, selfish, self-centred, egoistic, stingy, greedy and money-grabbing brats -
Which is what's already happening now.
As Ajahn Boowa said,
"Who is there to uphold the Sasana of the Lord Buddha except we who have been ordained and are in the lead of all others -
There is no one else in the world who is able to do so,
For if the monks are UNable to attain Magga (Path), Phala (Fruition) and Nibbana (Freedom) by means of the way of practice,
And if they only have discouragement and laziness,
The Sasana will just collapse."
(Ajahn Maha Boowa, 'Forest Dhamma' page 141)
And as The Buddha said,
"From corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline,
Corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma." (Read "The Future" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/11/future.html )
If everyone doesn't question and closes their eyes on what the errant monastics are doing now, and blindly devote,
Then Buddhism/The Buddha's Teachings/The Dhamma - The Truth,
Which The Great Teacher so painstakingly discovered, taught and left behind,
Would go down the drain and be tarnished.
Cos' most people nowadays look up to the monastics as replicas of The Buddha, and honour and respect them thus.
When in Reality,
The monastics are just fortunate enough to ride on the good name of The Buddha and His Savaka Arahants,
And what they - The Buddha and the Savaka Arahants - represent :
Truth, Morality, Simplicity/Contentment, Renunciation and Purity.
And taking advantage of it.
People assume the monastics imply the Sangha, reflect the Sangha, represent the Sangha and Buddhism,
Which is a very very wrong view. (Read "The Ratana" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/06/ratana.html)
As a concerned Buddhist, and someone who abides by and found immense Truth, Joy and Happiness in The Buddha's Teachings,
I'm just wondering.
And questioning.
If you are me, won't you - wonder, and question, too?
PS. Please know that I'm not suggesting that all monastics are such. As mentioned in the entry, I'm just stating what I witnessed and observed.
"Bhikkhus who hope for inward peace must regard themselves as worthless rags (in the eyes of worldly men)."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
"Monks who receive food and other requisites from devotees also have a duty to fulfill -
By striving hard, studying the Dhamma and practising meditation to purify their minds."
- Bhikkhu Vissudhacara
"The virtue that we should expect to gain does not come simply from wearing the yellow robe ......... it depends solely on us training ourselves."
- Ajahn Khao
"The people do not owe the monks anything.
They are not offering food (etc) so that the monks can enjoy life and have a good time."
- Bhikkhu Vissudhacara
"But if monks like this get stuck on their material possessions -
Robes, Alms food, Lodgings, and Medicine -
Without behaving themselves properly in line with the sacrifices that other people have made for their sake,
Then they're NOT really contemplatives.
They're simply taking advantage of their donors."
- Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo
"Being involved in construction work and asking for money from the people are NOT the duties and responsibilities of a recluse
Who must strive for NOTHING else but mind development and insight (so as to help others).
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
"Not by a shaven head does an undisciplined man, who utters lies, become a monk.
How can one who is full of desire and greed be a monk?"
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 264
"He who wears the yellow robe, without being freed from impurity, who is devoid of self-control and truth, is NOT worthy of it."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 9
"Outside/External ordination is NOT equal to inside/internal ordination.
You may be ordained outside, but if you do not 'ordain' yourself inside,
You're NOT a monk."
"If, an individual, while not being a holy, perfected saint, were to claim to be a saint, he is a cheat of the whole universe, including the world of the Brahmas.
Indeed, he is the worst of outcastes.
Such persons are indeed characterised as outcastes.
Let me tell you, they ARE the worst outcastes."
- The Buddha, The Vasala Sutta - The Discourse of Outcaste
"Many men wearing the yellow robe up to their necks who have an evil disposition and are unrestrained in thought, word and deed
Are reborn in a woeful state on account of their evil deeds."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 307
"Just as kusa grass, wrongly grasped, cuts the hand,
Even so the monkhood wrongly handled drags one to a woeful state."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 311
"Surely the path that leads to worldly gain is one,
And the path that leads to Nibbana is another;
Understanding this, the bhikkhu, the disciple of The Buddha,
Should not rejoice in worldly favours,
But cultivate detachment."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 75
"Therefore a bhikkhu who wishes his own passionlessness (Nibbana) should eradicate craving."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 343
"Though receiving little,
If a bhikkhu does not despise his own gains,
Even the gods praise such a one who is pure in livelihood and is NOT slothful."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 366
"MEDITATE, O Bhikkhu! Be NOT heedless.
Don't let your mind whirl on sensual pleasures."
- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 371
"It is not important what clothes one wears.
So long as one is pure and freed from ignorance."
- The Buddha
"Though gaily decked if he should live in peace,
(With passions) subdued, (and senses) controlled,
Certain (of the 4 Paths of Sainthood), perfectly pure,
Laying aside the rod (in his relations) towards all living beings,
A Brahmana indeed is he, an ascetic is he,
A Bhikkhu is he."
- The Buddha, Dhammapda verse 142
.
***Note : During The Buddha's time, when monks misbehave,
The lay people would stop supporting them until they prove themselves worthy and start behaving appropriately.
