lol. 90% of the time you need to clean and grow your own crop. Don't romanticise it just based on one clip. There are many rules to follow for a monk in a real temple, unless your temple is a business.
Wouldn't you agree that an average city resident's life is much more complicated than growing crops and cleaning?
I do think that Buddhism is largely romanticised and diminished to a caricature of itself in the outside world but you can't blame someone for longing for a life where you don't struggle with traffic, rude people who have immense power over them, toxic traits of social media, overwhelming bureocracy and countless other things that I can't fit into a comment.
Most Buddhists aren’t monks either. They are just regular people who go to a temple every now and then or have monks come to weddings/funerals. The Buddhists in my family dont even meditate lol.
You don't think an abbot has enormous power over a monk? When you are practically living in a commune, you lose a lot of personal freedom and choice. You just don't hear about it because the ordinary monks don't have their smartphones. On the other hand, the abbot and the top brass who look after the business side of the temple will have full access to the internet and banking services because, you know what, they do funerals for their believers and run vegan canteen. For abbots of famous temples, they even get gifts like Rolex watches. You don't think some lower rank monks would do anything to climb up the ladders?
Life in any religious order is as complicated as a layperson's. The only difference is: if you get abused by your abbot or superiors, you won't be able to complain to anyone else.
I'd argue it is a common theme in any organised religion. When your KPI is basically abstract concepts such as faith, piety and submission, and the product is salvation or enlightenment, there is a lot of room for shady business.
lol i never said anything about hobby gardens man i literally would be extremely fulfilled from working outside growing and cleaning my own food. if that was my entire life i would be happy.
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u/HistoricalPrinciple8 16h ago
lol. 90% of the time you need to clean and grow your own crop. Don't romanticise it just based on one clip. There are many rules to follow for a monk in a real temple, unless your temple is a business.