E A T I N G P R A C T I C E S I N B U D D H I S T M O N A S T E R I E S O F M E D I E V A L I N D I A A N D C H I N A B Y : R I C H A R D M A T H E R The Bonze’s Begging Bowl Today’s Class: �  Author focuses on the 5th century poet Shen Yueh [Shen Yue] (441-513) who had a lot to say about various Buddhist practices. �  Essay I: “On Keeping the Tradition of the Monk’s Midday Meal” –about monk’s mid-afternoon meal �  Essay II: “On Keeping the Tradition of the Maigre Feast” –about the religious rule for monks to beg for food �  Essay III: “On Ultimate Compassion” –about vegetarianism in Buddhism Essay I: “On Keeping the Tradition of the Monk’s Midday Meal” “The reason people do not attain enlightenment is because their minds are confused and deluded, and the reason their minds are confused and deluded is because external things disturb them. The three greatest disturbing factors are ambition, sex, and food. Although ambition may occupy the mind daily, the essential thing is to avoid a moment-by-moment enslavement to it. Sex is of course a relatively more serious matter. But food is the worst slavery of them all. These three are the root out of which all other evils grow, like branches and leaves. The Buddha understood that if these three are not eradicated, there is no point from which one may begin to seek enlightenment, so he had to find a method for making the eradication as simple and easy as possible. He could have just said, ‘These three things are the root of all evil and are therefore strictly forbidden.’ But these three are precisely the things about which human feelings are most deluded and hence they are extremely difficult to dismiss by mere conscious thought. Even if the Buddha had wanted to prohibit them, in the end enforcing the prohibition would have been well-nigh impossible. It’s like a raft of lashed boats crossing a river. Not that the boatman would not want to cross directly to the opposite shore. But since the current is swift there is no possibility of crossing directly. So he has no choice but to cross diagonally with the current, and only after a long time finally to reach the other side…For this reason the Buddha moved up the evening meal to before midday. Thus, after midday the monks can be pure and free from distraction. Because of this freedom their conscious thoughts become simpler….” Essay I (cont.) �  What is Shen Yue’s main argument here? �  What point is he making with the analogy of the boatman crossing the river? �  Shen Yue’s argument here is based on the early Indian rules that were set up for monks before Buddhism came to China. In those rules, the monks were totally dependent on the generosity of others for all of his necessities so that he could focus on enlightenment. Ideal was a homeless monk. �  Argument is that gluttony is a huge problem for achieving enlightenment (the worst?). Essay II: “On Keeping th ...

1. E A T I N G P R A C T I C E S I N B U D D H I S T
M O N A S T E R I E S O F M E D I E V A L I N D I A A N
D
C H I N A
B Y : R I C H A R D M A T H E R
The Bonze’s Begging Bowl
Today’s Class:
�
[Shen Yue] (441-513) who had a lot to say about
various Buddhist practices.
�
Midday Meal” –about monk’s mid-afternoon meal
� ping the Tradition of the Maigre
Feast” –about the religious rule for monks to beg for
food
� –about
vegetarianism in Buddhism
Essay I: “On Keeping the Tradition of the Monk’s
Midday Meal”

2. “The reason people do not attain enlightenment is because their
minds are confused and
deluded, and the reason their minds are confused and deluded is
because external things
disturb them. The three greatest disturbing factors are ambition,
sex, and food. Although
ambition may occupy the mind daily, the essential thing is to
avoid a moment-by-moment
enslavement to it. Sex is of course a relatively more serious
matter. But food is the worst
slavery of them all. These three are the root out of which all
other evils grow, like branches
and leaves. The Buddha understood that if these three are not
eradicated, there is no point
from which one may begin to seek enlightenment, so he had to
find a method for making the
eradication as simple and easy as possible. He could have just
said, ‘These three things are
the root of all evil and are therefore strictly forbidden.’ But
these three are precisely the
things about which human feelings are most deluded and hence
they are extremely difficult
to dismiss by mere conscious thought. Even if the Buddha had
wanted to prohibit them, in
the end enforcing the prohibition would have been well-nigh
impossible. It’s like a raft of
lashed boats crossing a river. Not that the boatman would not
want to cross directly to the
opposite shore. But since the current is swift there is no
possibility of crossing directly. So he
has no choice but to cross diagonally with the current, and only
after a long time finally to
reach the other side…For this reason the Buddha moved up the
evening meal to before
midday. Thus, after midday the monks can be pure and free
from distraction. Because of this

3. freedom their conscious thoughts become simpler….”
Essay I (cont.)
�
� th the analogy of the
boatman crossing the river?
�
Indian rules that were set up for monks before
Buddhism came to China. In those rules, the monks
were totally dependent on the generosity of others
for all of his necessities so that he could focus on
enlightenment. Ideal was a homeless monk.
�
achieving enlightenment (the worst?).
Essay II: “On Keeping the Tradition of the Maigre
Feast”
�
�
terrible,
monks are not expected to starve themselves.
�
followed in China, particularly as monasteries with
permanent settlements were set up for monks.

4. �
should he go to the same households over and over again?
Should he limit the opportunities for others to gain good
karma by focusing on one small area? How should the
money that is gathered by the monks be divided?
Essay II (cont.)
�
developed one: completely independent.
� cilities.
� -free land, and pious
donors gave away their own land for the use of the
sangha.
�
family.
�
and NOT begging.
Essay II (cont.) Maigre Feasts
�
monks and Buddhist laypeople on certain
commemorative days or on special occasions.
�
to such a rite: periodic communal feasts held in the

5. of popular religion on Buddhism.
�
feasts”).
Essay II (cont): Maigre Feasts
“For the cultivation of any religious observance there is always
a reason. The
modern practice of inviting monks and instead of filling their
alms bowls
merely preparing one feast for them all probably originated
from the time
long ago when the Buddha was still in the world and used to
accept people’s
invitations to meals. People now use this means to create a
simulation of that
precedent….Those who leave their families to become monks
are expected to
be supported by their begging rounds….No permission is given
for the monks
either to set up their own kitchens or to keep servants. But
today, since they
have amassed an ample store of food within their monasteries,
the practice of
begging has fallen into disuse. If by some accident a monk were
to show up at
someone’s gate holding an almsbowl, he would immediately be
cursed for
being a monk and at the same time doing something so utterly
vulgar and
degrading. Since it is something everybody despises and is
ashamed of, there

6. are no longer any monks who go about begging. Everyone
assumes the
tradition is no longer workable. But if the Buddha himself
possessing as he
did the nobility of an all-knowing deity, if even he could carry
an alms bowl in
his hand and go on his rounds to bring merit to the donors, does
not his
example apply to common, ordinary monks a thousand years
later whose own
persons and status are low-class and menial and who are
accustomed to
providing for their own mouths and bellies?”
Essay II (cont): Maigre Feasts
� oday’s invitations of monks to a single maigre
feast are concerned, since they are at least a simulation of
the original begging rounds, whether the monks go
begging or accept the invitation really makes no
difference. But, in consideration of the fact that today’s
monks no longer go begging, if we were to add the
possibility that they might no longer be invited to maigre
feasts as well, that would mean that the whole tradition
of begging would henceforth go into oblivion. If that
should happen, the monks would no longer belong to the
Buddha lineage and once that is gone the Three Jewels
will have fallen to earth…”
�
think they are important? How to they influence the
sangha?

7. Essay III: “Discourse on Ultimate Compassion”
�
that you can not eat meat because it removes one’s seeds
of compassion] came east to this land the “three
pure” (forms of meat consumption) have been
discontinued. People have wholeheartedly submitted to
the sutra’s ultimate teaching and have applied its
standards on an ever-widening scale. If this continues
then the violent taking of life will come to an end and the
growing of vegetables will never slacken…Autumn fowls
and summer eggs will become as untouchable as floating
clouds, furry creatures of the hills and fish of the sea will
become as gross as the decayed rat to a bird…”
�
Buddhism is COMPASSION and eating animals is not
compassionate.
Conclusions
Shen Yue is calling for a refocus of the Buddhist faith.
Monks need to remember the following:
�
which prevents enlightenment.
�
must instead focus on Maigre meals and accept
charity when it comes to them. They must remember
that they have vowed a life of poverty.
� t is

8. compassionate.
Buddhism
notes
From
October
16-­‐October
23
Siddhartha
Gautama
(563-­‐483
BCE)
• Story
of
the
Buddha
begins
with
the
Prince,
Siddhartha.
A
long
Jme

9. ago,
he
made
the
decision
to
become
a
Buddha.
In
his
last
life
he
became
the
Buddha
we
call
“Shakyamuni.”
• 5
asceJcs
(severe
self
discipline)
become
his
first
teachers;
Siddhartha

10. realizes
this
is
not
the
path.
• Under
the
bodhi
tree,
Siddhartha
is
challenged
by
Mara,
a
demon,
but
he
is
successful.
• He
meditates
long
into
the
night.

11. Under
the
Bodhi
tree
• In
the
first
watch
of
the
night
he
saw
every
one
of
his
past
lives
• In
the
second
watch
of
the
night
he
has
a

12. vision
of
how
karma
works
• In
the
third
watch
of
the
night
he
is
enlightened
and
becomes
the
Buddha.
• Siddhartha
saw
a
state
of
being
beyond
death,
destroyed
the

13. karma
from
his
past
lives
and
woke
up
as
the
BUDDHA.
The
Buddhist
World
• Samsara
=
“wandering”
the
cycle
of
birth
and
rebirth.
Some
people
succeed
and
others
fail

14. based
on
what
they
accomplished
or
what
acJons
they
took
in
past
lives.
• Karma
=
“acJon,
deed”
The
idea
that
good
deeds
produce
happiness
in
the
future
and
bad

15. deeds
produce
suffering
in
the
future.
No
one
is
innocent.
• 6
forms
of
senJent
beings:
(a)
God
(b)
Demigod
(c)
Human
(d)
animal
(e)
ghost
(f)
hell-­‐being

16. 4
Truths
(Noble
Truths):
the
first:
All
life
is
suffering.
A.
Suffering
of
Pain:
every
form
of
senJent
being
is
in
pain.
[Hell
beings=
constant
hell;
ghosts=
can’t
eat/drink;
animals=

17. constant
fear
that
you
will
be
eaten
and
constantly
seeking
food;
demigods=
constant
jealousy
and
at
war
with
gods,
always
lose;
gods=
one
moment
before
death
they
learn
what
their
next
life

18. will
be,
and
you
always
go
down
from
a
god.
Very
painful.]
Suffering
of
Pain
(cont.)
• Human
suffering:
1. Birth
2. Aging
3. Sickness
4. Death
5. Not
gefng
what

19. you
want
6. Gefng
what
you
don’t
want
7. Losing
your
friends
8. Gaining
enemies
First
Noble
Truth
(cont.)
A. Suffering
of
Pain
B. Suffering
of
Change:
3
kinds
of
feelings:

20. pain,
pleasure,
neutral.
Pleasure
eventually
turns
to
pain.
There
is
a
burden
on
your
back
(samsara),
and
so
shiiing
the
weight
might
feel
nice,
but
it
is
sJll
there,
pressing
down

21. on
you.
C. Suffering
of
CondiJoning:
From
moment
to
moment
we
suffer
and
there
is
nothing
to
do
about
it.
We
might
die
at
any
second.
This
pain
is
not
very
hard
for

22. regular
people,
but
for
someone
on
the
path,
it
is
the
most
painful
form
of
suffering.
2nd
Noble
Truth:
Suffering
has
an
origin
or
root.

23. A. Karma:
like
a
law
of
gravity,
it
explains
all
suffering.
10
Non-­‐Virtues
that
accrue
bad
karma:
1.
Killing
2.
stealing
3.
sexual
misconduct
4.
lying
[1-­‐4
are
acts]
5.
divisive
speech
6.

24. harsh
speech
7.
senseless
speech
[5-­‐7
speech]
8.
covetousness
(wanJng
something
that
is
not
yours)
9.
harmful
intent
10.
wrong
view
(the
belief
that
there
is
no
such
thing
as
karma)
[8-­‐10
are

25. thoughts)]
B.
Klesha:
“afflicJon”
Three
Poisons:
desire,
hatred,
ignorance.
Ignorance
is
the
fundamental
misconcepJon
of
the
nature
of
reality—the
biggest
form
of
ignorance
is
the
belief
in
the
SELF.
NO
SELF

26. IN
BUDDHISM.
The
illusion
that
we
have
a
personal
idenJty
unique
from
everyone
else,
permanent=
ignorance.
The
belief
in
the
self
is
the
root
of
all
human
suffering.

27. 3rd
Noble
Truth:
Suffering
can
cease
or
end
• If
you
destroy
the
cause,
you
destroy
the
effect.
If
you
destroy
the
belief
in
self,
then
desire
and
hatred
become
impossible.

28. CessaJon
of
ignorance.
CessaJon
of
desire.
• When
the
Buddha
came
to
this
realizaJon,
the
insight
was
so
profound
that
it
destroyed
the
karmic
seeds
(acJons)
of
his
past
lives
and

29. destroyed
all
future
causes
of
rebirth.
4th
Noble
Truth:
There
is
a
path
out
of
suffering.
• The
Path:
The
Three
Teachings:
1. ethics:
control
your
body,
control
speech

30. 2. MeditaJon:
control
the
mind
3. Wisdom:
insight
into
the
fact
that
there
is
no
self.
• Nirvana:
“to
blow
out”
;
“to
snuff
out,”
to
end
the
cycle
of
birth
and
rebirth

31. by
destroying
your
karma.
This
is
the
goal
of
Buddhism.
Three
Jewels
(or
Submissions)
1. The
Buddha
=
The
Awakened
One
2. The
Dharma
=
The

32. Teaching-­‐
the
Path
to
enlightenment
3. The
Sangha
=
The
Community
–
those
who
help
a
Buddhist
achieve
enlightenment,
monks,
nuns
and
laypeople.
Arhat
(Lohan)

33. • “Worthy
one”;
worthy
of
respect.
Not
a
Buddha.
The
Arhat
depends
upon
the
words
of
the
Buddha
in
order
to
become
enlightened
[The
Buddha
did
it
on
his
own].

34. • 4
stages:
1. Stream
Enterer:
enter
the
(metaphorical)
stream
to
nirvana.
1st
direct
vision
that
there
is
no
self.
All
seeds
that
might
cause
this
person
to
be
reborn
in
one
of
the

35. 3
lower
realms
are
destroyed.
Will
become
an
arhat
in
7
lifeJmes
or
less.
2. Once
Returner:
deeper
level
of
insight.
Will
only
be
reborn
as
human
one
more
Jme.

36. 3. Never
Returner:
Will
never
be
reborn
in
the
human
realm,
but
a
special
god
realm
and
achieve
nirvana
there.
4. Arhat:
worthy
one,
will
definitely
enter
nirvana
at
the
end
of
this
lifeJme.

37. Stupas
=
“heaps”
• When
Buddha
died,
he
entered
nirvana
and
was
snuffed
out.
This
was
hard
for
his
followers.
Burned
his
body
and
divided
up
the

38. ashes.
• 8
piles
of
ashes
+
1
leiover
dust
+
bucket
the
ashes
were
in
=
10
• Encased
in
huge
temples
dedicated
to
the
Buddha,
Ten
Stupas
in
all.

39. Bodhisasva
• Seeks
to
become
a
Buddha
• Makes
a
vow
to
liberate
beings
from
suffering
while
knowing
there
are
no
beings
in
the
universe
to
be
liberated
from

40. suffering.
• Must
make
this
vow
in
front
of
a
past
Buddha.
• The
path
is
very
long
and
arduous.
• Jataka
stories=
stories
about
Shakyamuni
Buddha
as
a
bodhisasva.
Story

41. about
Sumedha
and
the
Buddha
Dipankara.
Three
Paths/Vehicles
in
Buddhism
1. Shravaka:
disciple
path.
One
who
listens.
Follows
the
path
laid
out
by
the
Buddha
based
on

42. his
teachings.
Become
a
monk
or
nun.
goal
is
to
become
an
arhat
2. Pratyekabuddha:
Private/solitary
path.
Become
a
hermit
monk,
study
the
words
of
the
Buddha
alone,
no
students.

43. goal
is
to
become
an
arhat
3. Bodhisasva
path:
goal
is
to
become
a
Buddha
Good
Karma
• Vows:
physical
change
in
your
body,
like
a
form
of
maser
or

44. subtle
material.
• Lay
people
can
take
5
vows:
1. Not
to
kill
2. Not
to
steal
3. Not
to
lie
4. Not
to
rape
5. Not
to
use
intoxicants
• For
every
moment
that
a

45. person
does
not
kill,
steal,
etc,
they
accrue
good
karma.
• Very
bad
karma
if
you
break
a
vow,
there
is
a
ritual
to
return
the
vow
to
your
teacher
if
you
know

46. you
might
break
the
vow
(military
for
example).
• Monks/nuns
take
5
more
vows:
6.
Not
to
eat
before
noon
7.
Not

47. to
adorn
the
body
8.
Not
to
asend
musical
performances
9.
Not
to
touch
gold
or
silver
10. Not
to
sleep
on
a
high

48. bed.
• Charity
• Save
animals/
feed
animals
• Go
on
a
pilgrimage
• meditate
The
Lotus
Sutra
• Sutra
=
“a
thread
that
weaves
through
cloth,”
meaning
a

49. discourse
or
speech
given
by
the
Buddha.
• 400
years
aier
the
Buddha
died,
many
sutras
crop
up,
including
the
Lotus
Sutra,
wrisen
c.
100
BC-­‐100
CE.
• Shakyamuni
=
our
Buddha;
Maitreya

50. =
the
future
Buddha.
• IntroducJon
includes
thousands
of
bodhisasvas,
thousands
of
Buddhas,
thousands
of
followers.
• Huge
change
from
the
Buddhism
we
have
studied
up
unJl
now.
Who
are
all

51. of
these
bodhisasvas
and
Buddhas?
Upaya
=
Skillful
means
• Focus
of
the
Lotus
Sutra
is
that
there
is
only
ONE
vehicle,
the
Bodhisasva
vehicle.
• Parable
of

52. the
burning
house;
parable
of
the
desert
trip.
• The
Buddha
revealed
informaJon
to
people
based
on
how
ready
they
were
to
follow
it.
Buddha
conjured
an
illusion
(nirvana)
in
order

53. to
get
people
on
the
path.
If
they
knew
how
far
the
desJnaJon
was,
they
would
not
follow
it.
Now
that
people
are
ready,
the
final
revelaJon
is
that
everyone
must
become

54. a
BUDDHA.
No
arhats!
Buddhisms:
• Theravada
Buddhism
(South
and
Southeastern
Asia)
“teachings
of
the
elders”
the
oldest
form.
Goal
is
Nirvana.
• Mahayana
Buddhism
(East
Asia)

55. “Great
Vehicle”
Buddhism.
Goal
is
Buddhahood.
(a)
Pure
Land
(b)
Chan
/
Zen

56. • Tantric
or
Vajrayana
(Tibet,
Mongolia)-­‐
“diamond
way”
Challenges
Buddhism
faced
when
it
reached
China:
• Monks
and
nuns
seen
as
disrespecwul
to
ancestors
in
a
Confucian

57. society.
• Monks
and
nuns
seen
as
economically
unproducJve.
• Han
dynasty
(206
BCE-­‐220
CE)
saw
Buddhism
as
a
threat
coming
from
India
(xenophobia)
• LinguisJc
gap
(translaJng
terms

58. very
difficult)
• Threat
to
government
because
became
so
popular
so
quickly
and
influenced
Daoism
so
directly.