Expert: Justin Choo - 12/17/2004

Question
Hi:
I'm working on an article for the Buddhist publication Buddhadharma on doing solitary retreats, do you know the following:
-When did Buddhists first start to have well-established monastatic builings and more important when was it typcial/usual for monks and nuns to have actual monastery buildings to meditate in [as opposed to mostly meditating in simple shelters or on their own in the forest]?
-I'm trying to come up the names of some prominent and legendary teachers who experienced realization/enlightenment both on solitary retreat/while alone and while in a monastery. So far the only one who's been in the monastery/dharma hall that I'm aware of is Dogen [also Ananda was with others]. I can come up with a fair number of teachers who've had breakthrough experiences while meditating on their own.
One thing I'm trying to consider is if that's an accident or perhaps in part because serious practitioners didn't really meditate so much in monasteries as just going out on their own.
 any expertise you can add on this topic would be helpful [if you have any professional qualifications to answer historical questions about Buddhism, please let me know]
thanks!
Marshall marshall@greenlivingjournal.com

Answer
Hi Marshall Glickman,

Thanks for asking me.  No, I don't have any professional qualification to answer historical questions about Buddhism.  Perhaps you can try some other websites or the other "experts".

Actually even during the Buddha's time there were already existed well established monasteries. the 2 most famous were the Jetavana and the Veluvana. Most of the Buddha's suttas mentioned the Jetavana Monastery.

As for those who had experienced "realization", it is difficult to know because those who had attained did not make any announcement to that effect.  However, during the Buddha's time we can find from the suttas that numerous followers had attained.  The first being Venerable Kondanna.

I wish you success in your assignment.

Smile from Justinchoo :-)