'Rent-a-monk' business thrives as Japanese lose temple ties
Natsuko FUKUE
ricky l
Temples and monks need to survive.
Thus charging fees for services are required for the monks to sustain their lives.
But monks also need to expound the Dharma, teaching meditation etc to laypeople so that they will learn Buddhism and the right way of lives.
Thus as a rule of thumb,
(1) 50% of the time to perform services to earn and sustain their living
(2) 50% of the time to practice, expound Dharma and teach meditation etc
is about right.
Thus charging fees for services are required for the monks to sustain their lives.
But monks also need to expound the Dharma, teaching meditation etc to laypeople so that they will learn Buddhism and the right way of lives.
Thus as a rule of thumb,
(1) 50% of the time to perform services to earn and sustain their living
(2) 50% of the time to practice, expound Dharma and teach meditation etc
is about right.
ricky l
Assuming a temple need $500,000 a year - to feed the monks, to run Dharma course, to pay property tax, to maintain the temple, to pay temple bills.
If depends on donation - which maybe $100,000, the temple will get into financial trouble and cannot continue to run.
Thus will provision of services, the temple can continue to run and can continue its noble mission of expounding Dharma and teaching meditation to disciples.
If depends on donation - which maybe $100,000, the temple will get into financial trouble and cannot continue to run.
Thus will provision of services, the temple can continue to run and can continue its noble mission of expounding Dharma and teaching meditation to disciples.
ricky l
During Buddha's time, Buddha and his disciples use corpses clothing for their robes, stay in the forest and beg for alms.
As Buddha's disciples grow into the thousands, Buddha realised that He must have a place for Himself and His disciples to live in and expound Buddha's Dharma.
Thus when a King offer Buddha a Monastery, Buddha accepted it.
Having a place to stay, enough food to eat, clothing to wear, able to sustain lives - is not a sin - but a necessity.
The key is - Monks must not indulge or cling to the sensual desires of luxury livings - but concentrate on Buddhism Dharma practices - to gain Enlightenment and expound discourse to people willing to learn about Dharma and practice Dharma for Enlightenment.
As Buddha's disciples grow into the thousands, Buddha realised that He must have a place for Himself and His disciples to live in and expound Buddha's Dharma.
Thus when a King offer Buddha a Monastery, Buddha accepted it.
Having a place to stay, enough food to eat, clothing to wear, able to sustain lives - is not a sin - but a necessity.
The key is - Monks must not indulge or cling to the sensual desires of luxury livings - but concentrate on Buddhism Dharma practices - to gain Enlightenment and expound discourse to people willing to learn about Dharma and practice Dharma for Enlightenment.
