Ad
related to: how did monasticism impact buddhism religion history definition dictionary
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Buddhist monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism and one of the fundamental institutions of Buddhism.Monks and nuns, called bhikkhu (Pali, Skt. bhikshu) and bhikkhuni (Skt. bhikshuni), are responsible for the preservation and dissemination of the Buddha's teaching and the guidance of Buddhist lay people.
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek μοναχός (monakhós) 'solitary, monastic'; from μόνος (mónos) 'alone'), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities.
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, the role of the dharmabhāṇaka became even more central, since they played an important role in the dissemination and promotion of the Mahāyāna sūtras. [ 1 ] [ 5 ] Indeed, according to David Drewes, dharmabhāṇakas might have been the "primary agents" of the spread of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
The religion evolved as it spread from the northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent throughout Central, East, and Southeast Asia. At one time or another, it influenced most of Asia. The history of Buddhism is also characterized by the development of numerous movements, schisms, and philosophical schools.
Schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism without monastic communities of fully ordained monks and nuns are relatively recent and atypical developments, usually based on cultural and historical considerations rather than differences in fundamental doctrine. Both Mahāyāna and Theravāda also provided a clear and important place for lay followers.
Over much of the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, there were three subdivisions of Theravāda, consisting of the monks of the Mahāvihāra, Abhayagiri vihāra and Jetavana, all based in Anuradhapura. [24] The Mahāvihāra was the first tradition to be established, while Abhayagiri and Jetavana developed out of it. [24]
The formal monastic education introduced in Bhutan in 1621 was also patterned after the ancient Indian system. [3] These developments show an absence of a standardized monastic education system although there were initiatives that sought to establish a curriculum such as those by the Saranamkara and his students, which stressed the importance ...
Buddhism (/ ˈ b ʊ d ɪ z əm / BUUD-ih-zəm, US also / ˈ b uː d-/ BOOD-), [1] [2] [3] also known as Buddha Dharma, is an Indian religion [a] and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. [7]