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Monk and transportations

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:58 pm
by Gabriel
Is it proper for a monk, who strictly follow the trainings rules, to ask for transportation? Hitch hike, ask for a ride, ask a family member or a stranger to get him a bus ticket, boat ticket or a airplane ticket?
Or if he can only be offered this things without asking?
Of course at the time of Buddha transportation was extravagant, but monk probably took Boats from time to time to spread the Buddha's teachings oversea or in the other side of a river, in non-Buddhist country ...
Now day's many Monk's meditations teachers travel the world, are they wanting and asking things in order to do so or if it's the lay's that ask them to do so and arrange every thing for them, giving them the opportunity outside the Bhikkhu's will?
Metta
:anjali:

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:11 pm
by gavesako
Such trips will usually be pre-arranged following an invitation to teach somewhere or visit one's family, so they will naturally pay for the tickets. Otherwise the lay stewards of a monastery can buy a ticket for a monk who would like to come and reside there.

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:41 pm
by waterchan
I suppose the Vinaya rule which states that a monk may not travel on vehicles unless sick is ignored throughout the Buddhist world?

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:19 pm
by cooran
There are some who follow the traditional way:

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/s ... y-highway/

With metta,
Chris

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:14 pm
by Bhikkhu Pesala
I don't see any problem with hitch-hiking, but asking a stranger to buy a ticket would not be allowable. If they see you waiting at the station and ask why, then you can explain that you want to get somewhere, but do not carry money. That is still not asking for anything. The stranger is free to offer to help if they wish to.

Usually, if one wants to go somewhere, the solution is to walk, but I am fortunate in having a free travel pass for the over 60s, so I can go anywhere within London fairly easily, subject to certain time and route restrictions.

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:17 am
by James the Giant
Monks can ask their old family... Or was it just parents... Anyway, they can ask them for anything, including transport.

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:53 am
by SarathW
I thought you become a monk to leave your family behind. (leave them alone without making a burden for them)
:thinking:

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:14 am
by James the Giant
SarathW wrote:I thought you become a monk to leave your family behind. (leave them alone without making a burden for them)
:thinking:
Maybe, but it's a specific exception in the monk's rules. There must be a story behind it, but I don't know.

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:02 am
by Gabriel
Wow!Thank Cooran for that link. I met peoples in Canada and in the U.S, who lived that way(monk whitout the robes) and travelled whit them like this for some time and tried it by myself afterwards. But it is the first time I hear about one person who do it whit the robes in a none Buddhist country :) This is nice to know that this is possible.
Whit Metta :anjali:

Re: Monk and transportations

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:21 pm
by gavesako
Monks can even break the rains retreat (vassa) for up to seven days specifically in order to visit an ill relative who is in need. These days that might require flying across the continents.