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
8. Dhamma and Monastic Disciplines
Dhamma has two meanings.
First: it means that things are right and good, such as kindness and respect, tolerance and patience, avoidance of whining and impatience.
Second: it means things that are true, such as thereality of life, birth, ageing, sickness and death.
Dhamma can have this double meaning, depending on the circumstances, and context.
All the teachings in the Pali Canon and natural phenomenon, are all considered to be “Dhamma”.
‘Vinaya' means ‘code of conduct’, ‘discipline’ and ‘regulations’on the behaviour of individuals. As a collection, it is the name of the first portion of the Buddhist Canon [ Vinaya- pi/aka] which deals with the proper behaviour of the members of the Buddhist community,
The Vinaya or the code of behaviour for monks contains 227 precepts, which serves as the foundation for Buddhist
conduct. Of these 227 precepts, all of them can be broken down in detail and can be expanded into 21,000 individual
teachings.
Athletes must train and warm-up before competing. However, the training ground may not be the same as the
actual competition venue.The training ground should be difficult and more challenging of the two so that muscles
can develop effectively, and so that he can perform even better in the real race. This applies also to our minds.In order to improve and strengthen the mind, you must practice and exercise it. Instead of running on a track, we use the
227 precepts that have been expanded into 21,000, as a method of training the mind and instilling discipline and mental conviction.
Vinaya exists to help monks achieve disciplined minds, and if they adhere to Vinaya with diligence, then they will
have the opportunity to become an Arahant. Nevertheless, even if they decide to leave monkhood, they will still have
a good mind and go about their worldly tasks with success.
Dhamma Vinaya means, the wisdom and instruction contained in the Pali Canon of which there are two types.
1. One is the rules and code of conduct, Vinaya, which must be strictly refrained from, or else you are breaking your
vows of monkhood.
2. The other is for doing to the best of one’s ability, teaching which is also known as Dhamma. These suggestions are good for those who do them, but they are not compulsory.
There are a total of 84,000 lessons [dhammakkhandha] for discipline in the Pali Canon, which monks must learn in both theory and practice. Everything refined by the present author so far is no more than theory, which in monastic terms is called Pariyattf. The part where you take what you learn and practice it in your daily life is called Patipatti’.
Why do we have to be ordained as monks?
You are ordained in order to practice discipline (Patipatti). Once you learn what is good, then you will be able to apply those things to your life, beginning with the Precepts. In theory, you know that ‘Khanti’ means patience and perseverance. But as a layman, you cannot truly succeed in instilling true patience. Only as a monk can you develop the skills and ability to practice true patience. If you know how to exercise your mind, how to spread loving kindness,
and how to forgive your fellow man, then you should do so immediately.
When I was a student, I wondered why Thailand, a country with a good religion had not advanced as far as Europe or America.Does it mean that our religion is not as good as we think it is? After I had the opportunity to visit those foreign countries, I realized that it is not that Buddhism that is bad, but the people. Thai discipline, when compared to those of Americans or Europeans, does not match up. Moreover, even though westerners do not even know about Buddhism, and yet they possess more discipline than many Buddhists do. Buddhism teaches US all the right principles, and rules for good conduct, but we do not practice it in our daily lives.
