Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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may.all.bliss
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Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by may.all.bliss »

What are the average working hours for monks, at different monasteries, countries.

A reddit user said one should expect 4-8 hours at monasteries, this seems a 'bit' much?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comme ... s/hc3w8ut/

Duties should be few or light (for monks), I remember a verse from the Buddha.
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by JamesTheGiant »

In the forest tradition monasteries in New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand, I worked about 3 hours per day, with weekends free. If there was a big project they'd ask for volunteers to work a full day, but that wasn't common.
Ajahn Tiradhammo was cool, he would criticise me if I worked more than 3 hours. He said Go Meditate!

But for me, you either practise the dhamma sitting with eyes closed, or practise the dhamma installing a water tank.
may.all.bliss
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by may.all.bliss »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:58 pm In the forest tradition monasteries in New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand, I worked about 3 hours per day, with weekends free. If there was a big project they'd ask for volunteers to work a full day, but that wasn't common.
Ajahn Tiradhammo was cool, he would criticise me if I worked more than 3 hours. He said Go Meditate!

But for me, you either practise the dhamma sitting with eyes closed, or practise the dhamma installing a water tank.
Cool thanks.

I guess in theory people can practice well in both, but I am biased towards meditation.

What I would be worried of, is the wordly mindset of- 'work harder and be better', or 'more is better',
'infecting' a monastery, as that view is so common in the world, yet counter productive for realizing or being in Dhamma, generally speaking.
eto
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by eto »

Yeah, I am not into working in a monastery setting. There are definitely places with little to no regular work. Seek them out.
DiamondNgXZ
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by DiamondNgXZ »

may.all.bliss wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:31 pm What are the average working hours for monks, at different monasteries, countries.

A reddit user said one should expect 4-8 hours at monasteries, this seems a 'bit' much?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comme ... s/hc3w8ut/

Duties should be few or light (for monks), I remember a verse from the Buddha.
Defining work as: chores? Chores includes cleaning monastery, serving the preceptor, admin work etc.

It varies. Smaller monasteries, and abbots may have a lot of admin work. Big monastery with less monks, a lot more cleaning. Currently, the monastery I am in is about 2 hours (plus minus 1 hour) weekdays, 0.5 Sat, 0 on Sun. There could be special projects like research for Dhamma talk, which can take up more admin time, but it depends.

Another monastery I was in has 3 hours everyday, just cleaning, due to lack of monks.
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Alex123
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by Alex123 »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:58 pm In the forest tradition monasteries in New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand, I worked about 3 hours per day, with weekends free. If there was a big project they'd ask for volunteers to work a full day, but that wasn't common.
Ajahn Tiradhammo was cool, he would criticise me if I worked more than 3 hours. He said Go Meditate!

But for me, you either practise the dhamma sitting with eyes closed, or practise the dhamma installing a water tank.
Hello James,

Was those 3 hours of work HARD? Considering how bhikkhus sleep 4 hours per night (probably on the ground rather than comfy bed), eat once per day (and what is offered, not necessarily the best food for performance),.

Thanks.
sharase
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by sharase »

may.all.bliss wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:31 pm What are the average working hours for monks, at different monasteries, countries.

A reddit user said one should expect 4-8 hours at monasteries, this seems a 'bit' much?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comme ... s/hc3w8ut/ subway surfers

Duties should be few or light (for monks), I remember a verse from the Buddha.
Buddhist monks are required to work long hours, often over 40 hours per week. The average work time for a Buddhist monk is between 30 and 40 hours per week. This is quite high compared to the average work time for other professions, including doctors, lawyers, and teachers.
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DNS
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by DNS »

sharase wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 4:50 am Buddhist monks are required to work long hours, often over 40 hours per week. The average work time for a Buddhist monk is between 30 and 40 hours per week. This is quite high compared to the average work time for other professions, including doctors, lawyers, and teachers.
What are they doing in those 30 - 40 hours? In the vast majority of Theravada monasteries I have been to, it appeared the number of work hours was much less than that. There is only so much cleaning one can do, once it's done, it's done. Monks don't do regular lay type work, nor cooking.
BKh
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by BKh »

sharase wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 4:50 am Buddhist monks are required to work long hours, often over 40 hours per week. The average work time for a Buddhist monk is between 30 and 40 hours per week. This is quite high compared to the average work time for other professions, including doctors, lawyers, and teachers.
Where in the world are you getting this information from? Required? By whom? That's silly.

Also, it's ridiculous to say that 30-40 hours is higher than what doctors or lawyers work.

There are, of course, monks in the world who do spend a lot of time on various duties. But it is highly variable.
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santa100
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by santa100 »

may.all.bliss wrote:What are the average working hours for monks, at different monasteries, countries.

A reddit user said one should expect 4-8 hours at monasteries, this seems a 'bit' much?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comme ... s/hc3w8ut/

Duties should be few or light (for monks), I remember a verse from the Buddha.
Well, it depends on the "job description" of the individual monk, cuz not all monks truly practice what their "job" supposed to do: the cultivation/striving toward enlightenment. But if they do, then the average "work time" should really be 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, because whether it's teaching others, going on alms round, eating, sleeping, or cleaning the toilet, they all should be treated as important work crucial for the path toward enlightenment.
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Ṭhānuttamo
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by Ṭhānuttamo »

may.all.bliss wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 11:31 pm What are the average working hours for monks, at different monasteries, countries.

A reddit user said one should expect 4-8 hours at monasteries, this seems a 'bit' much?
https://old.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comme ... s/hc3w8ut/

Duties should be few or light (for monks), I remember a verse from the Buddha.
In Theravāda monasteries/retreat centers, from 0 up to literally full-time work. In Burmese and Sri Lankan forest monasteries, there is an inclination to an average of 0-1 hour; in Thailand, it may be up to 3 or more, although there certainly also exist places with less, also down to 0. This all depends of course also on how long one has been ordained and one's own preferences, but even junior monks and lay people can live close up to above-mentioned quotas.
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SJohann
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Re: Average work time for Buddhist monks.

Post by SJohann »

Less work even an hour a day, do their work in all postures, while eating, doing duties, answer questions... but real monks seek for 24h work and staying within the frames of references.

The average working-time of common monks might be, if good, an hour, but most, not willing to guard their senses, do nothing at all while eating the alms of the land... or get engaged in favor- and social works for lay people.
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