the sangha and cultural differences in B

Question 1

why do people become monks/nuns

Answer 1

• increases karmic merit –> depends on intention
• factor in how devoted you are to the monastery

Question 2

theravadin role of a monk/nun

Answer 2

• community teamwork
• vihara contribute to community as culture bank and hotel
• vihara is benefit for whole community
• believe monk and nuns can work
• Bhikkhu/bhikkhunis

Question 3

mahayanan beliefs on the role of monks

Answer 3

• monks have families
• mutal dependence
• protect buddha teachings
• japan: bhik can grow own food, not dependent on
  community
• community ceremonies
• bhikkshu/bhikkshuni

Question 4

5 additional precepts for T monks

Answer 4

• no eating after midday: no thinking about their next meal, as a distraction; also practical as they gather all their food in the morning to not disturb lay community
• no singing
• no perfume: no attatchment to scent
• no comfortable bed –> attatchment to sleep
• no handling of gold or silver

Question 5

what is the sangha

Answer 5

• community
• anyone who follows B and the dhamma
• 4 assemblies
• lay sangha supported bhikkus by providing food, clothing and accomodation
• B and followers travelled from place to place to minimise attachment
• creation of viharas

Question 6

why is the sangha a refuge

Answer 6

• named in scriptures –> Buddha, dharma, Sangha
• meditation with sangha breaks down barriers of the ego
• practice with the sangha benefits for everyone
• buddhist path is about giving –> participation in sangha is way of giving back to the dharma

Question 7

changing role of the sangha in thailand

Answer 7

• sangha act 1902: every monk and novice registered when entering order + certificate of identification issued –> fixed residency in monasteries
• monks in forest meditation: key role in preserving thai forest, which is diminishing (reserves and wildlife)
• growing indifference towards Buddhist in thailand –> deep south: B targeted due to faith
• unorthodox practices with the WPD

Question 8

organisation of the sangha

Answer 8

• monks own bowl, double robe, water filter, razor etc

includes
- monastery
- monk/nun
- lay community
- pilgrimage

Question 9

monasteries

Answer 9

• living place for devotees
• open to public: lay people can reside here for a limited amount of time
• centres of learning the religion –> monks and teachers

Question 10

monks

Answer 10

• highest position in religious hierarchy
• respected by all
• live in community with other monks in monasteries
• spend most time in monastery teaching

Question 11

nuns

Answer 11

• assistant to monks and ranked second
• spend most time in study and meditation

Question 12

lay buddhists

Answer 12

• provide food , lodging, and medicine
• cater to needs/requirements of monks
• monks teach them the religion in return
• most time spent on household activities

Question 13

pilgrimage

Answer 13

• travel to religious sites like buddhas birth place
• visit monasteries to gain knowledge of buddhas teachings

Question 14

Buddhist political action in thailand

Answer 14

Buddha Isara
- ulta royalists and pro-coup enthusiasts
- demand US gov intervene and oust human rights watch at US embassy in Bankok

Monks campaigned against Wat phra dhammakaya –> not real buddhism and leaders should disrobe
- caused divisions amongst monks as 500 gathered at stupa phra pathommachedi to complain about it
- he ignored superiors and spreads false info, against 5P and 8FP

Question 15

wats, monks and nuns in thailand

Answer 15

• ordination is believed to bring good karmic merit for monk’s family for the rest of their lives
• Theravadin
• chanting ceremonies
• intellectual pursuits
• magic and superstitions
• perform community ceremonies and ordination
• being ordinated into the sangha brings good karma for monk and family for life

Question 16

nuns in thailand

Answer 16

• 240,000 monks but a few hundred nuns, not recognised by T monk council
• dhammananda, buddhist scholar, female nun ordained in sri lanka
• male monks banned from ordaining women
• TB maintains sexist culture –> women can only become mae chi, lower status than nuns and monks (complete domestic chores, teachers, work with troubled girls), lower karmic status than monk and nun if giving alms

Question 17

the laity in thailand

Answer 17

• upasaka and upasikas
• look after needs of monks an realise good karma , especially T monks
• monkey, food, clothing, accomodation etc –> gain good karma for this
• depend on sangha’s teachings and guides to help them reach enlightenment –> mutal dependence, M belief
• buddhism has patrons who were kings/commoners –> emperor ashoka helped spread it far
• custom of thai males entering sangha contributes to better understanding and cooperation between the lay community and the monkhood

expected to live life of reverence and devotion keeping with buddhist morality

Question 18

the revival of buddhism in thailand

Answer 18

• 2500 years on, great revival, progress in study and practice
• commemorated by meetings, symposia, exhibitions and the publication of B texts and literature
• 2nd world war, europe, america, australia interest in B increased
• spiritual thirst due to war and distress –> mankind realises the truth better
• young people in thailand have had a resurgence in interest of their religion
• thailand B: trying to purify the dhamma of impurities, pristine teaching of Buddha –> depends on economic, social and political climate

Question 19

Examine the changing role of the monastic sangha

Answer 19

• nuns –> dhammananda, sri lank: monks can ordain nuns
• not enough nuns to ordain in thailand, never recognised by monk council
• women can only be mae chi
• temporary monks
• political influence
• reduction in ordained monks
• education –> children need to have other education other than buddhism
• wat phra dhammakaya

Question 20

21st century influences on sangha

Answer 20

1. publishing: people can read about dhamma, what are the use of monks
2. higher education outside of buddhist doctrine
3. populations shift: attitudes to religion in secular society –> reduction in ordained monks
4. nuns: monks can ordain nuns –> dhammananda in sri lanka (only mae chi in thailand)

Question 21

tourism in Thailand and Buddhism

Answer 21

• While Buddhists find nothing particularly threatening about tourists as well as devotees coming to temples, tourism can be damaging to the environment and can lead to water scarcity, dramatic transformations of island.
• Many Thai people are employed in tourism-related jobs such as hotel staff.
• An increase of food prices has affected the local population and therefore the giving of alms to monks
• There is a need for more sustainable tourism practices to limit the harm caused to the natural environment

Question 22

origins of wat phra dhammakaya

Answer 22

• founded in 1970 by mae chi chandra khonnokyoong + luang por dhammajayo
• theravada tradition
• claims to revive traditional values through modern methods and technology –> face of modern thai buddhism
• international, millions of followers globally, manchester and london temples

Question 23

growth of wat phra dhammakaya and controversy

Answer 23

• massive growth during 1980s
• huge stupa built and in 2007 had 1 mil members world wide
• controversial: dhammajayo + buddhists shouldnt be handling gold/silver or have possessions due to 5 precepts
• statue of buddha and dhammajayo
• engaged in pol discoursed and winning favour with gov, more than the traditional monastic sangha
• 2014: military junta charged dhammajayo with handling stolen goods from the opposition, political tension

Question 24

how does dhammakaya differ from traditional T buddhism

Answer 24

• commercialism and capitalism enforced
• size, organised religion not way of life
• formation
• strict discipline
• devotion to leaders
• political ties
• elements of the miraculous
• use of modern technology
• building

Question 25

hierarchy in the WPD

Answer 25

• teachings are not accessible
• WDP made teachings more accessible to more indoctrinated members as they have previously shown their devotion to dhammajayo

Question 26

key teachings of the wat phra dhammakaya

Answer 26

• teaches simple meditation which involves visualisation of crystal buddha image –> dhammakaya meditation
• teaches visual buddhist ideas about charity, morality, precepts and attainment of nirvana
• nirvana is NOT the final destination and enlightenment is NOT THE GOAL

Question 27

leader of the WPD + goal of the wat

Answer 27

• phra chaiboon dhammajayo –> Bodhisattva of great power who dedicated life for the good of all sentient beings in their harvesting of good merit
• followers of wat trained to be proud and to sacrifice anything in their lives for their leaders and goals of wat
• it will expand to fulfill missions and make radical political changes in thailand