Buddhist monks rely solely on food donations from the people. They typically leave the monasteries at the crack of dawn with alms bowls with which to receive donations until 7am.
In metal pails that sway near their hips as they walk, they collect food, drinks and the occasional cash donation for the temple. They pray with the person who offers it, and then return home to prepare the meal with what they've been given.
The monks only make two meals a day, one in the morning and another before noon. After the second meal, they do not eat solids and spend the rest of the day only with liquids while studying, practising meditation, and other activities related to the temple, community, and self-development.
Buddhist monks and nuns are completely reliant on the lay community to provide them with the material things they need to survive. In warmer Buddhist countries, monks will walk around their local village at mealtimes in what's called an 'alms round', holding a bowl for locals to put food into.
Monks accept hunger and the renunciation of food for varying periods of time as an exercise in controlling their desire. This is done, however, in an altruistic spirit: When the Buddha was fasting, he would talk and make himself available to others.
However, most monks completed two or even three cycles to fully prepare themselves. After the final cycle, the devout would cut out all food, drink a limited amount of salinized water for a hundred days, and otherwise meditate upon the salvation of mankind while waiting to die.
Food is prepared as a spiritual exercise with attention to balance, harmony, and delicacy. Conscious eating is followed among all Buddhists. Buddha advised monks to avoid eating 10 kinds of meat for self-respect and protection: humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, boars and hyenas.
Because of the whole vow of poverty thing, though, the nuns and monks don't actually get to keep whatever they earn. Their salaries go straight to their religious order. In return, the order often gives each nun or monk a small living stipend.
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.
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.
Monks live a disciplined and simple lifestyle, which does not include sleeping like normal people. Monks sleep for about 4 – 6 hours each night, but they get the a restful sleep because they are in a dark and quite room.
4.00 am - The monks wake up and meditate for one hour, followed by one hour of chanting. 6.00 am - The monks walk barefoot around the neighbourhood while the local people make merit by offering them food. 8.00 am - Returning to the temple, the monks sit together to eat breakfast.
With the ninth precept, Buddhists refrain from lying in a high or luxurious sleeping place. Monks take that a step further and aim to sleep upright to reduce the need for sleep.
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.
According to the Buddhist monastic code, monks and nuns are not allowed to accept money or even to engage in barter or trade with laypeople. They live entirely in an economy of gifts.
The typical day of a Buddhist monk, whether young or adult, follows a fixed schedule: wake-up call at 4:30 am (including Saturdays and Sundays); one-hour gathering in the temple to recite mantras; personal hygiene in one of the several fountains scattered around the monastery (there are no showers but they wash ...
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.
“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.
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.
There is also a wide variety of ages, from age 15 to 79, though most of the monastics are in their 20s and 30s. Though our monastic Sangha represents many countries, we are predominantly a Vietnamese community from a Vietnamese Buddhist tradition.
People wishing to ordain should be under 50 years of age. There is no specific age limit for long-term lay residents. However, applicants should be able to keep the full daily schedule.
This utterly simple approach to feeding oneself is found to be easier on the stomach because it ensures there is no clash in terms of digestion. Examples of foods that have been eaten by monks in this style are bread, watermelon, potatoes, squash, carrots, and even meats.
8.00am – Returning to the temple, the monks sit together to eat breakfast. Before 12.00 noon – The monks eat a light lunch at this time. This is the last solid food they are allowed to consume until sunrise the following morning.
People who follow the monk fast diet abstain from food for 36 hours weekly. During this time, people will only drink water and calorie-free beverages to remain hydrated. Although no scientists have studied the monk fast specifically, research on similar fasting methods suggests that it may offer health benefits.