Why do monks stay silent?

Monastic silence is a spiritual practice recommended in a variety of religious traditions for purposes including facilitation of approaching deity, and achieving elevated states of spiritual purity.

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Why is silence important to monks?

It was meant to ensure that their thoughts did not become entangled in the preoccupations of the world outside the cloister, thereby distracting them from their lives of prayerful contemplation and quest for spiritual salvation – the core purpose of the monastic life.

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How long do monks stay silent?

In Western Christian traditions such as Catholicism and Lutheranism, the Great Silence is the period of time beginning at the canonical hour of Compline, in which votarists are silent until the first office of the next day, Lauds.

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Do monks have to be silent?

St. Benedict understood that silence, though, is an essential element of monastic life. He outlined this throughout his Rule, but most especially in chapter six. Modern monks like to point out that first word in the Rule is to “Listen”, which can't be done while talking!

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Why is silence so powerful?

Silence can be a very powerful way to “be” with another person, especially when they are troubled. It can communicate acceptance of the other person as they are as of a given moment, and particularly when they have strong feelings like sorrow, fear or anger.

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Why monks love silence so much | This Time with Alan Partridge - BBC

44 related questions found

Why is silence the most powerful?

Silence creates an environment conducive to focus and concentration, allowing you to perform tasks more effectively. One of the major reasons why silence has become an important part of everyday life is the ability to focus as the modern world and its various noises enter your brain all at once.

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Are monks ever allowed to talk?

Spoken conversations between monks are permitted, but limited according to the norms established by the community and approved by the Order. "Silence is the mystery of the world to come. Speech is the organ of this present world. More than all things love silence: it brings you a fruit that the tongue cannot describe.

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Do monks get angry?

Monks, to be sure, must embody these qualities even more than ordinary individuals; and undoubtedly, the ability to overcome anger in everyday life is one of the hallmarks of a Buddhist monk. An angry monk, on the other hand, is inherently in the wrong.

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What do monks do all day?

The buddhist monk's daily schedule consists of going on alms round in the village, doing our chores as a mindfulness practice, meditation, and chanting. The monk's life is small paced and we have time to reflect and contemplate.

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How many hours do monks sleep?

From what I gather by looking at schedules of different monasteries and sesshins and the few books I have read on Buddhism, it seems that monk sleep from 5 to 7 hours but very rarely did I see the usually recommended 8 hours. Most monks wake up early and meditate for 1 to 3 hours and do the same at night.

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What is a female monk called?

The feminine form of a monk is 'Nun'.

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Can monks drink alcohol?

A number of monks have over the years given a variety of excuses why alcohol is not a problem, likening it to medicine or saying it is permissible if one drinks only 'just a little bit', or 'as long as you don't get drunk'. Many Buddhists would disagree, but the matter is not as clear-cut as we might suspect.

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Do monks get paid?

According to the Buddhist monastic code, monks and nuns are not allowed to accept money or even to engage in barter or trade with laypeople. They live entirely in an economy of gifts.

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Are monks allowed to marry?

Monks of the church have been required in the single and virgin, however, he proved that there is no prohibition of monk's marriage or having sex in the Bible. He insisted on that whether they marry or not should be left freely by each person.

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Can a woman be a monk?

There are about 270 female monks across Thailand and they were all ordained abroad, Dhammananda said, adding that her monastery houses seven of them. In contrast, Thailand has more than 250,000 male monks.

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What is forbidden for monks?

Monks are forbidden to divine either good fortune or future tragedy by observing heavenly omens, thereby deceiving both the tennō and the people. They are also forbidden to possess and study military tracts; to commit murder, rape, robbery or other crimes; and to feign enlightenment.

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Why monks are so powerful?

The monks use Qi Gong and a special method of breathing with the lower abdomen to transform their bodies into armor. This allows them to withstand powerful blows, including those from dangerous—and sometimes sharp—objects.

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Can monks get depressed?

Post-hoc analyses using Games-Howell tests indicated that 1st year monks reported higher levels of depression than monks in their 4th (p = 0.001), 5th (p < 0.001), and 6th (p = 0.001) years.

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Can you hug a monk?

We generally avoid hugging monks and nuns and lamas, especially if they are of the opposite gender. For greeting, it is common to put our hands together, with thumbs tucked inside, and bow our heads. The bow in the image (above) is a normal one, while for a very high lama, we would bow more deeply.

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Can monks have cell phones?

“There are no restrictions for the monks to use cell phones, but in the Buddha sanctuary there was no modern technology,” he said. “When the world develops, monks also have to adapt to society and modern world. But the thing is, when they adapt to the changing world, they should not change their main principles.

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Can monks have friends?

While social interaction and personal relations are more accepted among monks than among nuns, only one of the monks I interviewed described having a relationship that he referred to as a form of friendship. 'I live a form of friendship in the community', the monk (M3-6) said.

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Why is silence so scary?

Silence is scary not just because it's unfamiliar, but also because it opens the door to a whole bunch of thoughts, sensations, and emotions that noise keeps at bay.

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Does silence give you power?

Being silent allows us to channelise our energies. It gives us the clarity to face adversities calmly and think clearly. Intentional silence also cultivates more awareness within us.

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Does silence make someone miss you?

The simple answer to the above questions is yes. When you walk away and make him miss you, it's typical for a man to come back to you. The power of silence after a breakup is highly effective in making your partner come back.

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