Why Do Monks Shave Their Heads?

[scroobal]

Very insightful observation. Thanks.

You might have missed mentioning, that could well be what the halal food laws are all about, to distinguish and segregate.

Yes, including celibacy of catholic priests, Ku Klux Klan, PAP's whiter tha white uniforms, jews koshers food. This also includes city harvest where you expected to dress up very well on Sundays and for many, the first time to wear tie.

You will also notice that in most cases, it leads to unnecessary dissension within society.

In fact religion though it fulfills the spiritual needs of millions has been hijacked and now plays the most destructive and divisive role in mankind's history.

 

[scroobal]

There was one time I saw a few monks going to a high class furniture store, do you know what are they looking for?

Another time, I saw a monk in SGP whipping out a mobile phone after a prayer session..got business again?

Bro, I have it seen all. Monks, priest, imams, etc. Emebezzelment, sexual crimes, abuses etc. Its out fault to out them on a pedestal. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and they have a longer experience in seeing this bullshit. Their priest are now treated as tradesmen and the job as a vocation. Though they have to be brahmins, you will not see a hindu bow to a priest or treat him any different from the guy who does your plumbing.

How can a human being just being a priest, monk, or imam suddenly gets a status higher than other beings and closer to god.

Even the catholics now judge their priest according to the function that he performs rather than his supposed spirituality.

 

[TeeKee]

Even the catholics now judge their priest according to the function that he performs rather than his supposed spirituality.

i agree, i saw a BBC documentary about monks in the Medieval ages, how they have a huge room filled with people's offering....

and in the room, there's even a secret compartment on the floor containing their prized possession....

this is what happens when men abuse God to serve their own needs...

 

[TeeKee]

In fact religion though it fulfills the spiritual needs of millions has been hijacked and now plays the most destructive and divisive role in mankind's history.

could this be the fault of men? because of their original sin?

surely there are non believers who are as destructive as believers?

 

[Ramseth]

There was one time I saw a few monks going to a high class furniture store, do you know what are they looking for?

What were they looking for?

Another time, I saw a monk in SGP whipping out a mobile phone after a prayer session..got business again?

What business?

 

[Ramseth]

Another interesting observation. Most if all not Buddhist statues depict the Buddha's features as somewhere between an native continental Indian and an East Asian. How could this be true? Prince Siddharta was an Aryan. He should look like somewhere between a German, Polish and Italian. Most if not all paintings of Moses and Jesus as blue-eyed blondes. How could this be true? They're native middle-eastern semites who should look like somewhere between Arabs and north Africans.

 

[scroobal]

could this be the fault of men? because of their original sin?

surely there are non believers who are as destructive as believers?

I have seen good men who are believers and good men who are non-believers. I have seen absolute arseholes who are non-believers and those who are believers.

What I do notice is that parochialism tends to be present at a higher level in believers than in non-believers as some religion cast those who are non belivers as living in sin.

 

[scroobal]

Another interesting observation. Most if all not Buddhist statues depict the Buddha's features as somewhere between an native continental Indian and an East Asian. How could this be true? Prince Siddharta was an Aryan. He should look like somewhere between a German, Polish and Italian. Most if not all paintings of Moses and Jesus as blue-eyed blondes. How could this be true? They're native middle-eastern semites who should look like somewhere between Arabs and north Africans.

What you are noticing is now being played out in the new generation churches where you are likely to be taken in as pastor or a church elder if you are physically presentable and have the power to be considered a role model in the physical sense. Its helps to draw in the crowd. Go to any new age church and the guys up on the pulpit who is not the founder is a very attractive person and usually the best dressed. They now wear suits and notice the style.

 

[vamjok]

Another interesting observation. Most if all not Buddhist statues depict the Buddha's features as somewhere between an native continental Indian and an East Asian. How could this be true? Prince Siddharta was an Aryan. He should look like somewhere between a German, Polish and Italian. Most if not all paintings of Moses and Jesus as blue-eyed blondes. How could this be true? They're native middle-eastern semites who should look like somewhere between Arabs and north Africans.

i suspect you know more about buddhism than that goh meng seng. some of the things he said are wrong, i have a feeling that you are testing water here about the understanding of buddhism in local.

you are right, buddha has blue eyes. if follow strictly to the scriptures, i will say he looks like superman. (when not wearing specs, that time i don't think there is such a thing call red underwear also)

 

[vamjok]

Dear Ramseth,

Monks don't only shave their heads but also their eyebrows. It is a way to break away from the attachment to looks. Hair and eyebrows are defining features of human looks which may bring earthly attractions to opposite sex. To shave away is a way of renouncing earthly attachment.

The statues of Buddha you see everyday is not a "real" duplication of how Buddha looks like. They are more or less based on human imagination extracted from some scriptures in describing of what a "perfect features" that Buddhas have. The curly hair you seen are just a kind of expression of Buddha's wisdom, not literally the hair Buddha has.

Goh Meng Seng

don't know its better to keep quiet honestly. don't spread wrong info

only thai certain forest tradition shaved off eyebrows. other forms of theravada buddhism do not practice that.

Buddha did not shave, he only cut his hair short, somehow, after cutting it, it did not grow anymore. its mention in the scriptures on the part where he cut off his hair and pass it to channa.

as to why shave, for practical reason to save on washing and dolling up so that you can concentrate on the so called serious issue "dukkha".

the statue why the hair curl until like that is because buddha is from india and stupid chinese think all keleng has curly hair so the statue ended up like that. esp all the statue by those keep chanting oh money bring me home, or namo oh mi tou fu.

other statue of buddha influence by greek, and those in the trade route regions does not show buddha with such curly hair, but with neatly tied up ones.

and LASTLY, the statue did not follow really according to what the scriptures says totally, except for the 32 signs of a great man. its too tidy.

if really follow strictly, buddha will look like a mad man with messy hair wearing a begger shirt by our modern perceptions.

 

[kakowi]

The concept of Prince Siddharta is of Aryan heritage was interesting.

This is what a google shows up:

• Buddha is aryan
• Buddha is not aryan
• Is Buddha gay?
• Buddha is Jesus
• Buddha was white
• Buddhism is warlike and virile

There was a question in the net: Where was Buddha born? (a) Nepal (b) India (c) China (d) USA

A number replied 'Nepal'. One replied 'Australia'.

 

[vamjok]

The concept of Prince Siddharta is of Aryan heritage was interesting.

This is what a google shows up:

• Buddha is aryan
• Buddha is not aryan
• Is Buddha gay?
• Buddha is Jesus
• Buddha was white
• Buddhism is warlike and virile

I guess it takes all sorts to make up the human race.

I also guess that the people who made such statements could have sincerely believed in them.

if its about christainity one will refer to the bible, and if its buddhism, it will be the pali text and not google.

 

[kakowi]

if its about christainity one will refer to the bible, and if its buddhism, it will be the pali text and not google.

my apologies if the post was offensive to you...it was more to make a point that the human race has no limits

what does the pali text says about the aryan heritage of Buddha? If you know, please share. Thank you.

 

[vamjok]

its say he is from the ariyan heritage. he looked more like an ang mo with black hair, according to what i have read, he look more like those people from the middle east and afghanistan.

that why i say the description of superman matches him very well. black hair, fair, blue eyes, tall, curly hair.

it even trace up to his grand grand grand whatever father and why his clan is called the sakya clan.

one simple way to confirm is from the way he teaches.

racism exist in his time, and people of ariya race were actually at the top of the caste, esp those of fair skin. ariya pali meaning if my memory does not fails me means noble.

he changed the meaning of ariyan race totally in his teaching to ANYONE which behave morally correct and reach a certain level of attainment.

 

[TeeKee]

that why i say the description of superman matches him very well. black hair, fair, blue eyes, tall, curly hair.

do you know what happen to the real Superman?

very charm life...after he acted as one...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Reeve

 

[Ramseth]

What you are noticing is now being played out in the new generation churches where you are likely to be taken in as pastor or a church elder if you are physically presentable and have the power to be considered a role model in the physical sense. Its helps to draw in the crowd. Go to any new age church and the guys up on the pulpit who is not the founder is a very attractive person and usually the best dressed. They now wear suits and notice the style.

True true, and thank God, they're not dressing the Christ up in three-piece suit or the Buddha up in ceremonial uniform complete with sash, ribbons and medals.

 

[Ramseth]

i suspect you know more about buddhism than that goh meng seng. some of the things he said are wrong, i have a feeling that you are testing water here about the understanding of buddhism in local.

Thanks for the compliement but I doubt so, that I know more about Buddhism than Goh Meng Seng. However, it's quite apparent that you know more than him and me.

you are right, buddha has blue eyes. if follow strictly to the scriptures, i will say he looks like superman. (when not wearing specs, that time i don't think there is such a thing call red underwear also)

In the ancient days of both the Buddha and the Christ, I believe that only loincloth is available; underwear not invented yet.

 

[TeeKee]

True true, and thank God, they're not dressing the Christ up in three-piece suit or the Buddha up in ceremonial uniform complete with sash, ribbons and medals.

 

[kakowi]

True true, and thank God, they're not dressing the Christ up in three-piece suit or the Buddha up in ceremonial uniform complete with sash, ribbons and medals.

Oh, you will be surprised. Amongst some prosperity theologians, they are saying that Christ goes around in an Armani suit-equivalent.

I can just picture Christ dressed in an Armani suit, telling the crowd, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head".

When i voiced this, i was told by one that it was possible - that the Armani suit was donated to him, he did not buy it.



Thanks vamjok.

 

[Ramseth]

racism exist in his time, and people of ariya race were actually at the top of the caste, esp those of fair skin. ariya pali meaning if my memory does not fails me means noble.

he changed the meaning of ariyan race totally in his teaching to ANYONE which behave morally correct and reach a certain level of attainment.

You're very well up. Same thing as my master monk told me. Aryan race originally means Noble race. They were white caucasians in the Asian minor steppes who split two ways westward into Europe and southward to India. Sanskrit and Latin have common Indo-European linguistic roots. In the sutras, the Buddha always referred to his teachings as the Aryan religion, as the term Buddhism wasn't yet coined. He didn't mean it in any sense of Aryan superiority over lower castes. He meant it as the way for lower castes to be Noble too.