The significance of becoming a monk

A monks life and lay life are totally deferent each others. The purpose of the monk
life is attended to nibbana within practice the Dhamma, cultivate the mind. But the lay people
have to do lots of works in their lives such as earning money, maintaining family etc. The
purpose of the monk is in pli language; sabba dukkha nissarana nibbna
saccikaraatthya ima okasa gahetv pabbjetha ma bhante. When someone gets
ordain he should understand the purpose of monks life that the cessation of all defilements
and awakening the nibbana. Mostly monks are seeking the meaning of life and fulfillment of
their capacities. They want to understand properly what the reality of the world. People
always try to find out only happiness of their lives. Therefore there are differences. Monks
have believed that happiness is to be found within the depths of the heart. So monastics have
always sought true happiness in the moral-mystical sphere of right conduct, deeper
knowledge of, and union with Reality.
Monks do not have anything material to carry in their life of existence. They have
only the three robes and rice bowl (patra). They can go everywhere in the world because they
have not attachment like lay people. They can leave monastery also very easily. Therefore the
Buddha said that the monks life like swan. Swan does not have heavy feathers, it can fly
very easily. And also it can fly pond to pond; they do not have any attachment of the pond.
And also Buddha said the lay people like peacock because peacock has very nice and colorful
feathers. They are also very heavy and too much long. Peacock cannot fly very fast and so far
like swan. In the same way the lay people attach so many things in their lives such as children,
furniture, equipments, money, land, house and so on. Therefore they cannot rich to nibbana
easily. They have to do lots of responsibilities for the society. People always make fun and
pleasure their lives.
There are two types of tradition called Grmavsi and Araavs. One who follows
the Dtanga and only cultivate their morality in the forest called Araavs. Gramavasi
monks who have to do religious activity or sermon called Gramavasi. And also there are
another two types of tradition called Grantha dra and Vidarshana dura. When younger
ordains he can learn doctrine of the Buddha called Grantha dura. If one ordains in old age of
his life has to follow Vidarshana dura. It means Vidarshana meditation. We know there are
threefold ssana (teaching of Buddha) such as Pariyapti, Pipatti and Pativeda. Pariyapti
means doctrine of the Buddha such as Dhamma, Vinaya and Abhidhamma. We should learn
Buddhas teaching. We need the knowledge about doctrine. It means awakening of doctrine.
A monk must go in this way to eradicate all the defilements of their lives.
In the Dasadhamma sutta says that there ten factors should be remembered by
monks. Among them the first one is the monk behavior deferent from lay people.
Vevenniyamhi ajjhupagatoti pabbajitena abhihs paccavekkhi tabba, I changed into a
different mode of life (from that of a lay man); this must be reflected upon again and again
by one who has gone. Actually lay life changed into a life of a holy person from being a
layman. Another factor is parapaibaddha me jvikti, the monks life benefit of other and
depend on other. And also monk should think that I should always contemplate whether I

slander my mind with regard to my virtue, I should always contemplate how virtuously
should I spend my holy life day and night etc.
Buddha said benefit of monks life in the Samaaphala sutta in Dgha nikya. One
who ordains he can listen the dhamma. He is able to have cla sla, majjhima sla and mah
sla (three types of virtues). He has organs which have restrained. He satisfies with
mindfulness and realizing the dhamma. He gets four dhyna (state of mind) within free from
Nvaraa (five hindrances). Finally he can achieve purification of life.
According to these details the monk is totally different from the lay man such as
behavior, morality, life style etc. A monk always practices dhamma and increase his moral
behavior. But lay man has to follow so many jobs and activities of their lives. The
significance of becoming a monk is cultivate his insight and to do social welfare. Ultimately
attend to the nibbana. The nibbana is the ultimate reality of the Buddhism. Therefore both
monks and lay people should try to attend to nibbana.

Ven. Dorapane Chandananda