Expert: Anandapanyo Bhikkhu - 9/12/2009

Question
Hi im doing a project on Buddhism at school.
I just need to know, Why do Buddhists give everything up to become monks??

Answer
Dear Michael

Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question. I apologize for the short delay since it seems we are on different continents!

The quick answer to your question is:

Why do Buddhist give everything up to become monks?

To reach and obtain our goal in the fastest and most efficient way possible.

Now allow to me to explain.

For each Buddhist, the goal can vary, but the ultimate goal set by the Buddha is to change your wrong views into right views which will lead to obtainment of Full Enlightenment which will result in Nirvana which is the cessation of all suffering and rebirths.

But why do we have to give up everything? Actually, we don't give up everything. Not completely. And we only give it up superficially. We actually only give up all the non essential extra baggage type of things. Things such as extra closets full of Clothes, Cars, Houses, Television, Sofas, Entertainment systems, Radios, Various Shoes, Eating many meals a day whenever and however we want, Sex, Perfume and Cologne, plush comfortable beds and pillows...and money.

We still have things as monks. What do we have? We have robes (1-2 sets of 3 robes), a bowl used for storing items and for eating out of, a needle and thread used to patch our robes, one set of sandals or shoes for traveling and a few other necessities. However, we only USE these necessities and try to see that we CANNOT truly OWN anything. Nothing can be owned, you cannot be owned, I cannot be owned and neither can objects. Each object will live its own life, just because you pay for it and put it in your house does not truly mean you own it. You cannot stop it from changing, deteriorating or eventually leaving you. All you can do is try to hold on to it temporarily. That is why the Buddha allowed us certain “necessities.”

The key word here is necessities. Sometimes as monks we still need IDs, passports and luggage...

The Buddha explained that all things in the world have a purpose. They come about in this world, exist, deteriorate and then cease to exist as they were. There is nothing here worth fussing about or being enraptured about. However, we as human beings seem to try to counter this. We buy things and store them. We think they make us feel better about ourselves and make us look like this or like that. We think our status or happiness or sense of being are in these things. We spend all our time working to gain money (at the sacrifice of our time, relationships and bodies) so that we can buy buy buy. What do we buy? Things that we claim are necessities and things that we want. However, we don’t realize that these things don’t bring us happiness, they bring us suffering. How so? With a lot of things, we need to buy a place to store them. Then we need to buy security to protect them. Then we have to expend energy to take care of them. We make sure people know we have them, we want them to be jealous and want them, but refuse to let them take them. Then we are convinced that these items give us status and prestige, so we show them off, display them in our house, homes and on our bodies. Then when they break or are taken, we are distressed and must either find a replacement or feel more suffering.

Prince Siddartha was from a rich kingdom and gave it all up to live the holy life in order to become the Buddha. He found that there are some “necessities” that we must have in order to live. Then, he spent many years in meditating and depriving his body of food and nourishment. However, he found that this couldn’t bring him closer to enlightenment. Being rich made him lost in the pleasures and suffering too much would only lead to his death. In order to achieve full enlightenment, he found that we must observe moderation. He called it majjima patipada, or the “middle road.” If we have or do too much of anything, we are distracted and changed because of it. If we have or do too little, we suffer and are also changed. However, if we have “enough” then we can start to see who we really are, and what we are made up of. We are free to observe our thoughts and actions without external distractions. Once we can see ourselves, we can truly begin to fix ourselves and gradually become a better person. Once the Buddha began to eat (just enough) and comfortably (under a Bodhi tree, on some grass patches) he was able to live moderately and upon further self-contemplation, achieve enlightenment. We as monks are merely taking his example and living the life of monk as was explained and shown to us by the Buddha himself.

Now, allow me to give you a parallel or example.

Have you ever heard boxers or Olympic athletes giving up sex and certain foods before their events? Why do they do this? They sacrifice things that are commonly considered "extra" or "non-essential" in order to be the best they can be in order to achieve their true goal. Why must they do this? Well, Boxers or Olympic athletes that have sex the night before their events have tended to fare less well in the actual events. People have speculated that this is because sex drains you of energy and of certain chemical/nutrients required to complete at the highest level. Why do boxers or Olympic athletes refrain from eating cakes, pies, ice cream sundaes or too much sugar the night or weeks before or during training? This is because these things will do much more to hurt them and detract them from their goals than is worth it.

If you notice people like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Lebron James, Donald Trump, Bill Gates or any other successful people at the top of their respective fields, they all have one thing in common. A single minded focus to achieve their ultimate goal, be the best (or richest). In that focus, they must give up many things. For example, Kobe Bryant gives up a lot of free time, many delicious but unhealthy foods, sleep, his body, going to clubs or entertainment, leisurely traveling or just plain having fun. Why does he do this? So he can devote all of this time to training, eating right, and improving himself. What is the result? He is probably one of the best if not the best NBA player in the world right now. Why? Because of his talent AND his dedication AND his sacrifice. He has reached a level of excellence that few in this world could reach. If you ask him why he is so great, he would say two things, “hard work AND sacrifice.”

One last note, it is not easy to give up everything and live the life of a monk. Just like it is not easy to sacrifice everything and shoot 1000 jump shots and run 10 miles every day. However, for us we feel that the goal is worth the sacrifice. For those who are not ready to give up everything, I would recommend just lightly seeing how amassing objects cause you suffering. You do not have to give them up until you are ready.

I hope I have answered your question sufficiently. If you need any further clarification, please feel free to ask more questions.

Saddhu,
Phra Anandapanyo
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