Tattoos in Buddhism, Acceptable or not???

[Mexicali]

many many things are a waste of resources, tattoos probably being the most insignifigant of all, ranked right under questioning their merit or lack there of.

Questioning the merit of my questioning the merit seems insignificant.

[Demarous]

many many things are a waste of resources, tattoos probably being the most insignifigant of all, ranked right under questioning their merit or lack there of.

Questioning the merit of my questioning the merit seems insignificant.

Good call Mexicali!

I am purely trying to find out whether the 'insignificant' tattoos i had as a youth may hinder my ordination if i decide that is the way i choose to take my path,
trying to make someone feel inferior because they have a question that may seem 'insignificant' to them, surely, is not of right view or right speech. "Ego is not self". Compassion and kind guidance should be the way, however insignificant someones question may be. Please do not feel you have to just speak for the sake of it!

Metta

[mikenz66]

You do know that a swastika is an ancient Buddhist symbol?

I've seen a few Thai people to swastika tattoos. It's also easy to find Thai (and presumably other Asian) shirts with swastikas on them. When I've pointed out that some people in the West might mistake them for a Nazi symbol they don't have any idea what I'm talking about.

Which, in my opinion, is a good thing --- it's sad that a small group has made the swastika (in the non-Nazi context) something of a taboo to western eyes... Periodically, someone complains about the swastika symbols in our central Cathedral (which have been there since before the Nazis as part of a multi-cultural mural).

Metta
Mike

[Jechbi]

Here's a related discussion that has cropped up coincidentally.

[jcsuperstar]

many many things are a waste of resources, tattoos probably being the most insignifigant of all, ranked right under questioning their merit or lack there of.

Questioning the merit of my questioning the merit seems insignificant.

i didn't question the merit of your questioning, there was nothing to question. there is no merit in putting someone down for tattoos dharma or otherwise.

if one wants to have Buddhist tattoos (and i have a few even one given to me by a monk) i think one should have them. i not only get them to cover my old tats from my days singing in punk bands but just because i want them. we can find evidence in the Sigalovada Sutta that the Buddha did not intend lay people to be living some acetic life. the Buddha advises Sigala to buy gifts for his wife, this shows that he understood that some frivolity was healthy in lay people. he also advises him on how a layperson should take care of his finances:



With wealth acquired this way,
a layman fit for household life,
in portions four divides his wealth:
thus will he friendship win.

One portion for his wants he uses,
two portions on his business spends,
the fourth for times of need he keeps.



taking this into consideration i cant seem to find any reason why a tattoo, whether it be of tweety bird a dhammawheel or om mani padme hum, would be in anyway wrong.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html

[Mexicali]

Fair enough, I withdraw my statement.

[kaneconeghan]

I have been practising Buddhism for a six years now, I live in canada and do not know one buddhist outside of the one monastary in my city. i learn mostly from books and sutras that i have come across. I'm a big fan of tattoos as long as they are meaningful to who ever gets them. I have gotten the mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM in Tibeten on my forearm. i do not believe this will offend anyone, it is a reminder to me of what lifestyle i want to live, and a reminder of my devotion to help others.

[Sanghamitta]

It might offend some Theravadins...


Going back to an earlier comment...I dont think that tattoos would represent a bar to ordination in the Bhikkhu Sangha.
I was present when a young european man was ordained who had his whole back tattooed...that was very unusual in those days.

[mikenz66]

Going back to an earlier comment...I dont think that tattoos would represent a bar to ordination in the Bhikkhu Sangha.

Several of the Thai Bhikkhus at my local Wat have tattoos, as do some of the famous monks whose paintings adorn the walls of the hall...


Mike

[Fede]

It might offend some Theravadins...

I don't see why.
I'm Theravadin and I'm certainly not offended.....

In fact, I'm given to reciting some mantras myself, sometimes....

[Sanghamitta]

It might offend some Theravadins...

I don't see why.
I'm Theravadin and I'm certainly not offended.....

In fact, I'm given to reciting some mantras myself, sometimes....

NB " might "........." some".
Others might of course be quite happy to perform a chant to a mythical being ( "Avalokiteshvara " ) from Hinduism given a quasi Buddhist identity.

[Fede]

Well, as this is a Theravadin Forum, I'm interested to see if "some" Theravadins here are offended.

As I'm one of 'some' I'm merely saying, I'm not.

[Sanghamitta]

I wasn't making a serious observation.....merely pointing out that Om Mani Padme Hum is not exactly recognised as universally Buddhist. Its not Tibetan either, its Sanskrit, although it can be rendered in Tibetan script.
On the other hand I doubt that anyone would be offended by it. It was a throwaway remark.


The point of my post was to address the issue of tattoos as a bar to ordination.

[fabianfred]

well I got my one...just before ordaining
it is in pali...Shan script

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqWKIXAAFdo

[davidstanley]

I have been practicing Dhamma for over ten years. I have been attending Thai temples for just as long. I have spent a lot of time with Thai monks from both the Dhammayut and Mahanikaya Orders. I recently met with a teacher from the Dhammayut Order and asked about ordination. I was wearing long sleeves at the time. After a brief discussion about my knowledge and practice of Dhamma he stated that he would ordain me in Thailand in December of this year. Later on during the retreat I was wearing a short sleeved shirt. He looked at the tattoos on my arm and asked "oh, are those removable?" It seems that if you wish to ordain and have any tattoos that cannot be covered (no tattoos on the right shoulder neck or forearm as this is the exposed are when wearing robes) you may not be able to ordain. He stated he would have to plead with the upajjhaya (the monks that oversee the ordination) to ordain me because I have tattoos. I will need to have a letter of recommendation from a Thai person and will have to overcome the stigma of my tattoos. It seems they have become a major roadblock for ordination at least in the Dhammayut Order. My friend here in Chicago is a monk from Thailand and when I told him about this he said that for the Mahanikaya it would not be such an issue, but for the Dhammayut it is a huge roadblock.

After thinking about this I have reconsidered my intention to ordain within the Dhammayut Order. I understand that they are cautious not to have anything to do with sak yat but at the same time it appears to be a fundamentalist, and rigid view on their part since the Vinaya only forbids those with tattoos which are given as punishment for a crime. So, if you plan to ordain in the Dhammayut Order I would advise NOT getting any tattoos which will show while wearing robes. And NEVER get any tattoos of anything remotely religious in nature. Some Thai people find this to be very offensive on farang. It's a bit of a double standard on their part.

Perhaps some day the Thai tradition will be more accepting of tattoos as more westerners convert to Buddhism. It has been my experience that many punk rockers like myself get tuned into Buddhism and have an earnest desire to practice Dhamma, but the Sangha has not been flexible in accepting these converts when they have permanent marks of their past interests. So, my practice recently has been to work with my disappointment and aversion that has arisen in response to the rigid and inflexible nature of the Dhammayut Order. It seems to me that this order speaks of letting go and accepting what is, but acts in the opposite manner. Their adherence to their own constructed rules (rules not in the Vinaya Pitaka) and their interpretation of Vinaya is a form of fundamentalism that is in direct contradiction to the Buddha's teachings of letting go and lacks compassion, one of the most important aspects of the Lord Buddha's teachings.

[Jhana4]

Hi davidstanley;

There may be more of a culture shock waiting for you. This thread could give you some things to think about.

I am under the impression that laser surgery can remove many tattoos these days.

[rowyourboat]

I understand that there's no explicit instruction not to do it in most traditions, but it seems like such an unwise use of resources, unnecessary harm to one's own body, and affected.

I thought about getting "This too will pass" (just these few words) tattooed on the back of my hand or somewhere else where I will have to see it the whole day...

That would be a good reminder.

with metta

I thought this was brilliant! The Buddha had monks memorise the dhamma-'tattooed' into the mind, - why not the body!?

With metta

Matheesha

[unspoken]

Come on, it's just word on skin. The point is what word/picture you are going to tattoo on

[icyteru]

You do know that a swastika is an ancient Buddhist symbol?

I've seen a few Thai people to swastika tattoos. It's also easy to find Thai (and presumably other Asian) shirts with swastikas on them. When I've pointed out that some people in the West might mistake them for a Nazi symbol they don't have any idea what I'm talking about.

Which, in my opinion, is a good thing --- it's sad that a small group has made the swastika (in the non-Nazi context) something of a taboo to western eyes... Periodically, someone complains about the swastika symbols in our central Cathedral (which have been there since before the Nazis as part of a multi-cultural mural).

Metta
Mike

Swastika

[Inkredible]

Yes I am New to the Path and am still learning with joy.
at the moment I have one tattoo which is off a Flame.
I plan on getting more but so far I decided they
will be of the other elements including Void.
would that cause a Issue?