Buddhist Monasteries (Viharas)
Notes in the mind map are taken from the AQA textbook but you can also use it if you are with the exam board EDUQAS.
- Created by: mariagecheva
- Created on: 20-11-18 18:33
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- Buddhist Monasteries
- Why Monasteries?
- A monastery is a community of men or women (monks or nuns), who have chosen to withdraw from society, forming a new community devoted to religious practice.
- The word monk comes from the Greek word monos, which means alone.
- It can be difficult to focus a lot of time on prayers and religious ritual when time needs to be spent on everyday activities that insure one’s survival (such as food and shelter).
- Viharas
- Viharas offer a place for devotion, ceremonies, retreats and teaching; they are maintained by the Lay Community. Who provide practical help and offerings.
- In Buddhist countries it may be quite normal for young people to spend a period of time living a monastic life in the Viharas.
- Monasteries
- At the time of the Buddha, communities of monks would travel together, living outdoors, providing teachings to the laity and receiving offerings.
- Three months of the year saw the rainy season, during which the monks need to take shelter.
- The places they stayed in were called 'Viharas' (resting places) and these were provided by the Lay community.
- Over time, Viharas became more permanent places to settle, and became the monasteries where monks and nuns live.
- Halls for Meditation or learning (gompas)
- A gompa is a Tibetan Monastery where learning takes place.
- Buddhist scripture is housed in libraries here and used for study.
- In the West the term 'gompa' may be used more broadly to include Buddhist temples, monasteries, places of learning, centres for meditation and religious practice.
- Meditation halls are room in which Buddhists can gather to meditate, usually under the guidance of someone leading the meditation.
- Meditation halls are important features of Buddhist buildings due to the central role meditation plays in Buddhist practice.
- Meditation is a particularly popular dimension of Buddhism in the West and meditation sessions can take place in non-Buddhist venues such as community halls or yoga centres.
- Why Monasteries?
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