Dear forum
In most religious traditions, the Holy Men grow beards & long hair, which I assume to surrender to nature or God.
My question is why did the Buddha's Sangha shave their heads & beards rather than just let their hair grow freestyle?
Thank you
Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
What a comparison!
Some on is missing here.
Some on is missing here.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
No reason is given in the Vinaya Piṭaka beyond the stock formula about householders complaining:
However, the rule happens to appear in the midst of a lot of other rules that are aimed at curtailing vanity, and so it's widely assumed that this is likely to be the purpose here too.Now at that time the group of six monks wore their hair long. People … spread it about … he addressed the monks, saying: “Monks, long hair should not be worn. Whoever should wear it (long), there is an offence of wrong-doing. I allow it to be of a two months’ growth or two finger-breadths (in length).”
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
One monk once told me it's so they don't have to worry about insects infesting the hair (lice, etc.) and just easier and clean maintenance overall.
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers." —AN 5.38
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
It has to combed, brushed, groomed, styled (okay maybe those are all the same thing), colored (if you're old); all related to vanity and identity. When you're bald, you just shave it, no styling or coloring needed. It takes time to shave my head every day, but I still prefer it to the time it takes styling and coloring the hair from my younger days.
I start with an electric shaver and go over my beard and head areas and then use a razor blade with shaving cream.
I start with an electric shaver and go over my beard and head areas and then use a razor blade with shaving cream.
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
You always gain by giving
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
I suppose on this issue you could go two directions with curtailing vanity in the holy life-- let your hair grow without concern for vanity or styling it, or shave it off. I have shaved my head for a few years and enjoy its simplicity.
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
The hair and beard are just the first two items. The Niddesa's full list of gihibyañjanāni is:Dhammarakkhito wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 4:18 pm https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .html#fn-1
But this list pertains to paccekabuddhas rather than bhikkhus. Although most of the items are also prohibited in the Vinaya, not all are. We are allowed fans, for example.Gihibyañjanāni vuccanti kesā ca massū ca mālā ca gandhañca vilepanañca ābharaṇañca pilandhanañca vatthañca pārupanañca veṭhanañca ucchādanaṃ parimaddanaṃ nhāpanaṃ sambāhanaṃ ādāsaṃ añjanaṃ mālāgandhavilepanaṃ mukhacuṇṇaṃ mukhalepanaṃ hatthabandhaṃ sikhābandhaṃ daṇḍaṃ nāḷikaṃ khaggaṃ chattaṃ citrupāhanaṃ uṇhīsaṃ maṇiṃ vāḷabījaniṃ odātāni vatthāni dīghadasāni iti vā.
"There are called the "marks of a householder: hair and beard, garlands and fragrances, ointments, necklaces, earrings, clothing, headwraps, rubbing, massages, bathing, body-building, mirrors, collyrium, garlands, fragrances, and ointments, facial powder, lipstick, gloves, ribbons, staff, rod, sword, parasol, decorative sandals, turban, jewelry, fans, white clothes, and long nails."
Now at that time a mosquito-fan accrued to an Order. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow, monks, a mosquito-fan.” A chowry-fan accrued. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Monks, a chowry-fan should not be used. Whoever should use one, there is an offence of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, three kinds of fans: made of bark, made of khus-khus, made of peacocks’ tail feathers.”
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
Bhante. Don't use a mirror to shave your hair?mirrors
What is this?bathing
I know some monks use them.parasol
[quotewhite clothes][/quote]
Why not?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
That, and when applying ointment to a sore, are the only occasions when a Vinaya-observant bhikkhu will look in a mirror.
Bhikkhus can bathe. Paccekabuddhas don't.
Yes, we're allowed to. But paccekabuddhas are more austere than us.
It's a term that stands for any kind of clothes that are characteristic of householders. Paccekabuddhas are gone-forth persons and so dress accordingly in rags.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
"the rule happens to appear in the midst of a lot of other rules that are aimed at curtailing vanity"---Ven Dhammanando
I was told at Bodhinyana that a bald head reminds us of a skull.
I was told at Bodhinyana that a bald head reminds us of a skull.
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
I guess this is one of the reasons why shaven headed Buddhist monks don't wear white: to differentiate them from Jain monks.
ye dhammā hetuppabhavā tesaṁ hetuṁ tathāgato āha,
tesaṃca yo nirodho - evaṁvādī mahāsamaṇo.
Of those phenomena which arise from causes:
Those causes have been taught by the Tathāgata,
And their cessation too - thus proclaims the Great Ascetic.
tesaṃca yo nirodho - evaṁvādī mahāsamaṇo.
Of those phenomena which arise from causes:
Those causes have been taught by the Tathāgata,
And their cessation too - thus proclaims the Great Ascetic.
Re: Why did the Buddha's monks shave their heads & beards?
Not all Buddhist monks shave their heads and beards.
ye dhammā hetuppabhavā tesaṁ hetuṁ tathāgato āha,
tesaṃca yo nirodho - evaṁvādī mahāsamaṇo.
Of those phenomena which arise from causes:
Those causes have been taught by the Tathāgata,
And their cessation too - thus proclaims the Great Ascetic.
tesaṃca yo nirodho - evaṁvādī mahāsamaṇo.
Of those phenomena which arise from causes:
Those causes have been taught by the Tathāgata,
And their cessation too - thus proclaims the Great Ascetic.