In my latest Buddhism in a Nutshell reel and this companion article, the question is what makes someone a monastic and how to distinguish them from a layperson householder (not from a ngagpa tantric practitioner, which is another type of non-monastic practitioner).
1) The inner aspect: Vows and Intention
Also, perhaps even more important than vows to begin with, is the intention for taking them. In his speech at the 36th Kagyu Monlam 2019, the 17th Karmapa himself spoke about the need for the ‘inner essence’ of genuine renunciation (see video clip here) when taking monastic vows, citing the example of Geshe Potowa and when he first felt he had genuinely taken the vows. That without such a mind one cannot be really said to have received the vows.
Consent and prior knowledge: the 17th Karmapa’s experience of taking vows that had not been requested or understood
In the same Kagyu Monlam speech in January 2019, the 17th Karmapa also spoke for the first time about his own situation and how he did not consider himself to be either a novice or a fully ordained monk. The reason being he was given monastic vows, that neither he or the Karma Kagyu senior teachers had requested, from the 14th Dalai Lama, when it was planned to bestow them to him by Karma Kagyu lineage teachers. In the speech the Karmapa says:
“In 2002, when I was 16, the 14th Dalai Lama granted me the vow of intermediate ordination. And on the day when he did so, he gave me both the vow of intermediate (barma) ordination and Getsul (novice) monks vows at that same time. Our request was only for the intermediate ordination, but he gave me both ordinations. He must have had a special reason for doing so. Though at the time, my thought was to first receive the intermediate ordination and to later receive novice ordination from Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche, he gave me both.”
“I think many people must be wondering and talking about why I have not taken full ordination by now. From my side, the main thing is that if renunciation and wishing for emancipation has not truly arisen, the novice and full monks vows will not be based on this ethical conduct that longs for liberation, and it would be difficult for them to result in perfectly pure ethical conduct—though there must be some benefit in holding the vows anyway.”
A lot of people were saddened and shocked to hear that the 17th Karmapa took the vows like that, including myself. A young teenager, surrounded by very senior and older Tibetan Buddhist monks urging him to do something neither he nor the senior teachers in his tradition had requested or needed. I cried when I heard it. I have created a video of the original Tibetan with English subtitles and my own translation of it (as the Kagyu Office report often edits or “waters down” what the Karmapa said). I will write more about vow taking event, as yet perhaps another example of Gelugpa sectarian domination (in exile too) in another post.
As a more general point, consent and knowledge of the vows is also therefore an essential aspect, and this is why many (including myself) think that children below the age of 16 should not be given monastic vows or live in monasteries (also for personal safety reasons).
Code of conduct: the five main vows, no householder income, bank account, property and no sexual activity at all
Once a monastic there are strict rules, even for a novice, of no sexual activity, as well as the five major Buddhist vows (also practiced by laypeople). Root downfalls for a monastic (even a novice) would be killing, or supporting killing of another being, and sexual activity of any kind. Secondary vows (not so serious) include not behind in a room alone with a woman (or for a nun a man, and for homosexuals that would be someone of the same sex) without others being within able to see or hear them. This means that online interactions on video with women (or men) for sexual activity would not be permissible if they are done privately with their teachers and preceptors being unaware of it.
Another aspect which differentiates monastics from monastics is they are not supposed to be employed, have a bank account, personal income and property, marry and have children. The definition of a monastic a rabjung in Tibetan (is someone who has gone forth and left the householder life). They are supposed to focus only on study and practice of Dharma and benefiting beings. In that respect, they have to rely on donations of religious people for their food and accommodation. For more on the various rules in the Vinaya about making offerings to monastics and how things such as mobile phones, luxury items, TVs etc. are considered unsuitable see this website, here.
Thus, anyone who is a monk relying on a monastery and donations, cannot have sexual activities of relationships with boyfriends and girlfriends (like a worldly person) or has children with them (which breaches the sexual activity vow), according to Vinaya rules and teachings given by the Buddha. If they are not keeping even the five main Buddhist vows, such as not killing and not stealing, then they cannot even really be called members of the Buddhist sangha.
Strict Code of Conduct and Dress for Monastics
The Vinaya rules contain strict codes of conduct for monastics, created by the Buddha’s teachings over 2000 years ago9. In 2007, the 17th Karmapa announced that there is a strict code of conduct which all fully ordained monks and nuns attending Kagyu Monlam must observe. All fully ordained monks and nuns will have undergone three days training and a test in this code of conduct. During the Monlam they will be expected to attend every Monlam session, including the daily Sojong. They will eat only from the alms bowl, not eat after midday, and, on the final day, they must join the Alms Procession.
According to the Vinaya rules, monastics are also not supposed to listen to music or watch TV or movies for entertainment or pleasure because it leads to major distraction and attachment. People are not supposed to make monastics offerings that would increase their distractions and attachments either. So, no disrespect intended, but it is therefore, more than odd that the last few Kagyu Monlams that were held in the US and Bodh Gaya (2017 and 2018), at which the 17th Karmapa and hundreds of other monastics, many of whom were fully ordained were present, were like pop concerts of singers musicians and dancers. In addition, “three, beautiful young women” were the MCs replacing monks (according to the Kagyu Office report https://kagyuoffice.org/the-marme-monlam-lights-up-the-world/). For some reason these women were not even worthy of being named in that report (other than for their age and physical appearance)! What is female empowering and liberating about that? Ha ha ha Entertaining for sure but certainly not keeping to Vinaya! Seems to have been the influence of some Brits and Europeans who manage pop artists and are in celebrity management. Certainly judging by the look on HE 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche’s face it is not something he was used to seeing or hearing I don’t think! Seriously, though, those monlam events will probably go down in history as one of the worse breaches of Vinaya publicly in the Karma Kagyu. Which is rather sad considering how the Karma Kagyu Garchens seemed to have been very strict indeed, kicking out anyone who ate, cooked meat in any way. Onwards and upwards as they say!In addition the 17th Karmapa spoke about the importance of dress codes within Buddhist communities and wearing monastic robes properly but also not wearing monastic robes (or even robes that look like a monastic) if one is not actually holding or keeping monastic vows, for example a householder with wife/girlfriend and children and so on. So, householders (or those who are not holding monastic vows) should not be wearing monastic-type clothes and staying with monastics in monasteries. In that respect, the unofficial claimant to the title 17th Karmapa, Thaye Dorje has received criticism for continuing to do so, and lead monastics under the Bodhi Tree at the Kagyu Monlams, even though he has been married with a child for several years and is not officially recognised as the Karmapa.
Contemporary ‘monastic’ lifestyles: which one is the householder?
Obviously, this topic is a lot more complex than that, however, those are the three main things that make someone a monastic, with the inner vows being the most important of all! However, I think we can all agree that these days, the vast majority of Buddhist monastics (other than in countries who follow the Original Buddhist Hinayana traditions) are not living like mendicants. We have all seen those monks and nuns dining in expensive restaurants, staying in 5 star hotels, expensive phones and watches, shoes etc. which is all far removed from what the Shakyamuni Buddha intended for a monastic life! For example, in Bodh Gaya, in a nice cafe- restaurant frequented by many foreigners, I remember seeing the majority of people in there were people wearing Tibetan Buddhist monastic robes and dining out often with laypeople too! Perhaps there should be a rule that as laypeople are not allowed to spend time in monasteries, perhaps monastics should not spend so much time in places generally meant for laypeople?! There is also some truth in jest.
These rules are not supposed to be negative bans though, they were created by the Buddha to create less attachment, desires, distractions and negative mind states, so that monastics would be able to focus their minds and activities solely on the Buddha Dharma study and practice, and overcome such attachments and suffering and the suffering of others.
Sources
What Lies Beneath the Robes: Are Buddhist Monasteries Suitable Places for Children? Tibet Telegraph (2013)
https://kagyuoffice.org/his-holiness-on-winter-tour-2007-08/