Duties and Responsibilities for Monks
-Alms Gathering
-Temple cleaning
-Confession
-Chanting and Meditation
-Mindfulness
-Caring for Teachers
-Management, Maintenance and Exercise
-Dhamma and Monastic Studies
-Caring for Temple Property and Responsibility
-Behaviour worthy of Respect
3. Confession
The act of Confession involves a monk who has transgressed his monastic discipline and who wishes
to express regret over his misdeed to his preceptor, and who now promises to never repeat the
transgression again.
The Buddha taught his disciples not to hide their misdeeds. If they did something wrong, then they
should admit to it, and confess. This was to ensure that monks would not lie to the world. If the
wrongdoing was severe, then the monk must accept the consequences whatever that may be, even if it
meant leaving the monkhood. Should the monk commit a severe transgression, he would be showing his
inability to uphold the monastic life, and therefore he must leave it for a less serious offence
he must humble himself before his peers and accept his personal shame so that he may ask for
forgiveness. Punishment in this case might entail temporary confinement to a limited area.
The Benefits of Confession
1. It helps monks to recognize any wrongdoings.
2. It helps monks to solve problems rather than hide it, and accept the consequences
3. It prevents monks from being deceitful, and clears the mind for making merit and receiving the
knowledge in the Dhamma
