Monks' families and friends are welcome to visit them at the monastery, but the monks are discouraged from leaving the monastery grounds unless they have a valid reason to do so and they must also have the Abbot's permission to leave the monastery.
Before becoming Buddhist monk or novice, they have family status; being child of parents, husband of wife or father of child, but after obtaining monkhood or ordaining as a novice, they shall leave their family and shall live in temples, cannot live with their family anymore and generally they are also well-beloved by ...
The Sangha is your family and our monasteries are your home. Even when difficulties arise, we do our best to live in harmony with our brothers and sisters. Your immediate family is welcome to visit you and they do not have to contribute to expenses.
The situation among monks is somewhat more relaxed. One abbot (M3-1) explained that: any monk can go and talk with whomever he wants, but not wherever or in whatever way.
Most monasteries have a “family guest house” provided only for family members of monks or nuns of that monastery. A Trappist's family might visit and stay in the family guest house two or three times a year for a few days.
“There are no restrictions for the monks to use cell phones, but in the Buddha sanctuary there was no modern technology,” he said. “When the world develops, monks also have to adapt to society and modern world. But the thing is, when they adapt to the changing world, they should not change their main principles.
Anyone can stay in a monastery, regardless of religion. Should you want to participate in religious activities (e.g. mass), simply ask one of the friendly brothers or sisters and they will be happy to guide you further.
Monks are famously celibate, but celibacy doesn't just mean you're not having sex. It means you're not interacting with other people in a way that could be considered romantic.
“In this culture, people like to give a hug in friendship, but monks don't do that.
Yes, in some of the Buddhist monastery, you can help the monks as a volunteer and you can live in the monastery for certain period.
The Shaolin Temple – An equal opportunity institution
While it's true that all the warrior monks teaching at the temple are men, both men and women are equally welcome to come and study there.
The Shaolin Temple
Back in the Tang Dynasty, the Shaolin monks had defeated so many enemies for the Emperor that he granted them special permission to eat meat, for strength, and drink alcohol, for courage. To this day, even without the duty to protect the Empire, the monks retain these special privileges.
Everyone is welcome to join our school family, there are no special requirements to be accepted as a student; people of all ages and levels of experience are invited to learn and train with us.
The monks go on alms round in the morning and the only other activities of the day are morning chores, breakfast, and the main meal. At 7:00 pm, the community gathers for pūjā, meditation, the taking of the precepts by the laity and a Dhamma talk.
“Do monks get days off and vacations?” This is a very common question that most people ask us as monks. Monks in simple vows are allowed one week of vacation and monks in final (solemn) vows are allowed two weeks vacation every year.
Monks are forbidden to divine either good fortune or future tragedy by observing heavenly omens, thereby deceiving both the tennō and the people. They are also forbidden to possess and study military tracts; to commit murder, rape, robbery or other crimes; and to feign enlightenment.
In the Buddhist tradition, a monk's vow of silence is a way to practice proper speech. Monks feel that they would avoid saying something negative by avoiding revealing anything that comes to mind. For them, speaking with silence is a way to practice nonviolence.
Silence is a constant theme in the Rule of St Benedict, which states that 'monks should diligently cultivate silence at all times'. This strict regulation of speech – the prohibition on unnecessary verbal communication – was an expression of the ascetic life of monks and nuns.
In order to have a better posture while meditating, monks believe in sleeping upright and thus train their bodies for the same. Usually people can sleep while sitting or standing but if they enter a deep, dreamy phase; it becomes difficult and they might eventually fall.
They spend a lot of their time devoting themselves to their religious practices, such as prayer, mass, reflection, or meditation. In their free time, they will often exercise, cook, forage, or do various tasks around the monastery.
Admittedly, the five precepts that lay Buddhists agree to follow say that one should refrain from drinking alcohol and it is also one of the basic rules that novices and fully ordained monks are responsible for following.
The ranks of male and female monastics are the same, and women “have this 'chutzpah' because when the tradition was introduced in Japan in the sixth century, women were the first to be fully ordained, Arai said. In Tibetan Buddhism, nuns have achieved many of the privileges historically reserved for monks.
1 The monks are to sleep in separate beds. 2 They receive bedding as provided by the abbot, suitable to monastic life. 3 If possible, all are to sleep in one place, but should the size of the community preclude this, they will sleep in groups of ten or twenty under the watchful care of seniors.
Many monasteries offer guest rooms at reasonable rates and some even let you choose how much to give. Before you decide to stay at a monastery, be sure to read all of the available information, since these are not traditional bed and breakfasts.
Many monasteries accept women.
It's a common belief that only men can stay in monasteries, especially those run by monks. That is not the case and even if it's not a women's monastery, you might be able to stay. Do check before writing one off.