Shayne Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836474
- eISBN:
- 9780824870966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836474.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book studies Buddhist monks and nuns and their continued familial relationships by drawing on monastic law codes, or vinaya. As an introduction, this chapter discusses the family as it relates ...
More
This book studies Buddhist monks and nuns and their continued familial relationships by drawing on monastic law codes, or vinaya. As an introduction, this chapter discusses the family as it relates to the study of Indian Buddhist monasticisms. It first considers what we know about the Buddha's family before turning to an important example from some of the earliest known strata of Buddhist literature: the Rhinoceros Horn Sūtra. It then examines V. Fausböll's claim that there are two Buddhisms: a pure or original form of Buddhism as exemplified by the Rhinoceros Horn ideal, and a later, presumably degenerate, monastic form. It also explores conflicting vsions of the ideal monk, Indian monastic law codes and concludes by providing a preview of the chapters contained in the book and explaining the scope of the study.Less
This book studies Buddhist monks and nuns and their continued familial relationships by drawing on monastic law codes, or vinaya. As an introduction, this chapter discusses the family as it relates to the study of Indian Buddhist monasticisms. It first considers what we know about the Buddha's family before turning to an important example from some of the earliest known strata of Buddhist literature: the Rhinoceros Horn Sūtra. It then examines V. Fausböll's claim that there are two Buddhisms: a pure or original form of Buddhism as exemplified by the Rhinoceros Horn ideal, and a later, presumably degenerate, monastic form. It also explores conflicting vsions of the ideal monk, Indian monastic law codes and concludes by providing a preview of the chapters contained in the book and explaining the scope of the study.
Shayne Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836474
- eISBN:
- 9780824870966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836474.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines issues surrounding monastic motherhood by focusing on pregnant nuns. Indian Buddhist epigraphical records show that some nuns had children, but they do not specify whether ...
More
This chapter examines issues surrounding monastic motherhood by focusing on pregnant nuns. Indian Buddhist epigraphical records show that some nuns had children, but they do not specify whether mothers became nuns or nuns became mothers. In the corpus of monastic law codes, however, we see that monastic jurists not only envisaged the possibility that pregnant women might enter nunneries, but also legislated a place for motherhood in Indian Buddhist nunneries. This chapter begins by considering what the authors/redactors of the extant monastic law codes have to say about the ordination of pregnant women before discussing the distinction between prohibition and rule of law. It then explores the rules in their narrative context in the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya, the issue of monastic motherhood in all extant vinayas, and a prātimoksas rule which seems to offer evidence that nuns should not raise children. It argues that motherhood and the sisterhood were not as incongruous in Indian Buddhist monasticisms as some readings of the prātimoksas might lead one to assume.Less
This chapter examines issues surrounding monastic motherhood by focusing on pregnant nuns. Indian Buddhist epigraphical records show that some nuns had children, but they do not specify whether mothers became nuns or nuns became mothers. In the corpus of monastic law codes, however, we see that monastic jurists not only envisaged the possibility that pregnant women might enter nunneries, but also legislated a place for motherhood in Indian Buddhist nunneries. This chapter begins by considering what the authors/redactors of the extant monastic law codes have to say about the ordination of pregnant women before discussing the distinction between prohibition and rule of law. It then explores the rules in their narrative context in the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya, the issue of monastic motherhood in all extant vinayas, and a prātimoksas rule which seems to offer evidence that nuns should not raise children. It argues that motherhood and the sisterhood were not as incongruous in Indian Buddhist monasticisms as some readings of the prātimoksas might lead one to assume.
Shayne Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836474
- eISBN:
- 9780824870966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836474.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter describes a number of early Indian inscriptions which mention Buddhist monks, nuns, and laymen in terms of familial relationships. These inscriptions could be explained away as records ...
More
This chapter describes a number of early Indian inscriptions which mention Buddhist monks, nuns, and laymen in terms of familial relationships. These inscriptions could be explained away as records of children who were abandoned and forsaken by their parents when the latter “left home for the religious life.” Extant Buddhist monastic law codes, however, preserve stories about men “leaving home” to become monks with their young children, and children who, after joining the monastery, still call their monk-fathers “Daddy.” There are also narratives of mothers and daughters who leave home for the religious life together. Such narratives raise questions of interpretation with regard to the phrase “to go forth from home into homelessness,” which lies at the very heart of our understanding of the nature of Buddhist renunciation. This chapter argues that the phrase is best understood figuratively rather than literally.Less
This chapter describes a number of early Indian inscriptions which mention Buddhist monks, nuns, and laymen in terms of familial relationships. These inscriptions could be explained away as records of children who were abandoned and forsaken by their parents when the latter “left home for the religious life.” Extant Buddhist monastic law codes, however, preserve stories about men “leaving home” to become monks with their young children, and children who, after joining the monastery, still call their monk-fathers “Daddy.” There are also narratives of mothers and daughters who leave home for the religious life together. Such narratives raise questions of interpretation with regard to the phrase “to go forth from home into homelessness,” which lies at the very heart of our understanding of the nature of Buddhist renunciation. This chapter argues that the phrase is best understood figuratively rather than literally.
Shayne Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836474
- eISBN:
- 9780824870966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836474.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book has explored the familial and marital relationships of Buddhist monks and nuns in India, thus highlighting a scholarly misperception in the study of Indian Buddhism: that world renunciation ...
More
This book has explored the familial and marital relationships of Buddhist monks and nuns in India, thus highlighting a scholarly misperception in the study of Indian Buddhism: that world renunciation means severing all ties with kith and kin. Drawing on early epigraphical evidence, it has shown that Indian Buddhist monks and nuns who had left home for the religious life continued to be identified with their family members; monks also continued to interact and associate with their former wives. Finally, the book has shown that the authors/redactors of the vinayas seem to have negotiated a place within their religious institutions for monastic mothers. This concluding chapter examines issues surrounding family matters both presupposed and legislated by the authors/redactors of the extant monastic law codes and argues that family-friendly forms of monasticism may have been more common in India than previously assumed. It also discusses the ramifications of the book's findings for how we study Buddhist monastic life in comparative light, along with the utility of vinaya texts for the study of Indian Buddhist monasticisms.Less
This book has explored the familial and marital relationships of Buddhist monks and nuns in India, thus highlighting a scholarly misperception in the study of Indian Buddhism: that world renunciation means severing all ties with kith and kin. Drawing on early epigraphical evidence, it has shown that Indian Buddhist monks and nuns who had left home for the religious life continued to be identified with their family members; monks also continued to interact and associate with their former wives. Finally, the book has shown that the authors/redactors of the vinayas seem to have negotiated a place within their religious institutions for monastic mothers. This concluding chapter examines issues surrounding family matters both presupposed and legislated by the authors/redactors of the extant monastic law codes and argues that family-friendly forms of monasticism may have been more common in India than previously assumed. It also discusses the ramifications of the book's findings for how we study Buddhist monastic life in comparative light, along with the utility of vinaya texts for the study of Indian Buddhist monasticisms.
Shayne Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824836474
- eISBN:
- 9780824870966
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824836474.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Scholarly and popular consensus has painted a picture of Indian Buddhist monasticism in which monks and nuns severed all ties with their families when they left home for the religious life. They ...
More
Scholarly and popular consensus has painted a picture of Indian Buddhist monasticism in which monks and nuns severed all ties with their families when they left home for the religious life. They remained celibate, and those who faltered in their “vows” of monastic celibacy were immediately and irrevocably expelled from the Buddhist Order. This image is based largely on the ascetic rhetoric of texts such as the Rhinoceros Horn Sutra. Through a study of Indian Buddhist law codes (vinaya), this book dehorns the rhinoceros, revealing that in their own legal narratives, Indian Buddhist writers take for granted the fact that monks and nuns would remain in contact with their family members. This challenges some of the most basic scholarly notions of what it meant to be a Buddhist monk or nun in India around the turn of the Common Era. Not only do we see depictions of monks and nuns continuing to interact and associate with their families, but some are described as leaving home for the religious life with their children, and some as married monastic couples. The book argues that renunciation with or as a family is tightly woven into the very fabric of Indian Buddhist renunciation and monasticisms. Whereas scholars have often assumed that monastic Buddhism must be anti-familial, the book demonstrates that these assumptions were clearly not shared by the authors/redactors of Indian Buddhist monastic law codes.Less
Scholarly and popular consensus has painted a picture of Indian Buddhist monasticism in which monks and nuns severed all ties with their families when they left home for the religious life. They remained celibate, and those who faltered in their “vows” of monastic celibacy were immediately and irrevocably expelled from the Buddhist Order. This image is based largely on the ascetic rhetoric of texts such as the Rhinoceros Horn Sutra. Through a study of Indian Buddhist law codes (vinaya), this book dehorns the rhinoceros, revealing that in their own legal narratives, Indian Buddhist writers take for granted the fact that monks and nuns would remain in contact with their family members. This challenges some of the most basic scholarly notions of what it meant to be a Buddhist monk or nun in India around the turn of the Common Era. Not only do we see depictions of monks and nuns continuing to interact and associate with their families, but some are described as leaving home for the religious life with their children, and some as married monastic couples. The book argues that renunciation with or as a family is tightly woven into the very fabric of Indian Buddhist renunciation and monasticisms. Whereas scholars have often assumed that monastic Buddhism must be anti-familial, the book demonstrates that these assumptions were clearly not shared by the authors/redactors of Indian Buddhist monastic law codes.