Bhikṣu

Buddhist monks in Thailand

bhikṣu (P. bhikkhu; T. dge slong དགེ་སློང་; C. biqiu 比丘), commonly translated as "monk," has at least three possible meanings:

(1) someone who begs;

(2) someone who has taken the highest level of Buddhist ordination; and

(3) someone who has destroyed mental afflictions.

Bhikṣu who have taken the highest level of Buddhist ordination are commonly referred to as "fully-ordained monks"; these monks observe the highest type among the eight types prātimokṣa vows. They are distinguished from novice monks (śrāmaṇera), who observe a more limited set of vows.

A fully-ordained female monastic is called a bhikṣuṇī (P. bhikkhuni).

The Dhammapada states:

A shaven head

doesn't mean a contemplative.

The liar observing no duties,

filled with greed & desire:

what kind of contemplative's he?

But whoever tunes out

the dissonance

of his evil qualities

— large or small —

in every way

by bringing evil to consonance:

he's called a contemplative.

Further reading

• Inwood, Kristiaan. Bhikkhu, Disciple of the Buddha. Bangkok, Thailand: Thai Watana Panich, 1981. Revised edition. Bangkok: Orchid Press, 2005. ISBN 978-974-524-059-9.
• Buswell, Robert E., ed. (2004). Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Macmillan Reference USA. s.v. "Monasticism," "Monks". CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)

External links

• The Buddhist Monk's Discipline Some Points Explained for Laypeople
• Thirty Years as a Western Buddhist Monk
• bhikkhu (Wikipedia)