Tag Archives: buddhist monastics

Buddhist saints are often described as maternally compassionate, with the endless patience of a mother who feeds, cleans and cares for children around the clock. In fact, the Theravada branch of Buddhism holds mothers in such high esteem that two men among the Buddha’s chief disciples, Sariputta and Mogallana, are said to be “like the mother giving birth” and “the nurse raising a child.”

Without knowing it, Sravasti Abbey, the Buddhist monastery in Newport, began to lay the groundwork for sharing Buddhist practices during a pandemic many years ago.

The tradition of spiritual seekers accepting alms from layfolk already existed at the time of the Buddha—in fact, meeting a wandering mendicant and being impressed by his serenity was one of the experiences that inspired Siddhartha Gautama to embark on a spiritual quest.

To understand monastic guidelines, it’s helpful to put them in a historical context.