Why Do Monks Shave Their Heads?

[Ramseth]

as said, according to our modern mentalities.

however asectic practice was common in india (even now). so in that local context, most likely he will not be viewed as mad.

In singapore context, looking at the way modern chinese monks lives, i believe if they see the real buddha, more than half will be willing to travel with him.(too comfortable in their million dollars condo)

I think that you mean less than half willing to travel with him. Same for the modern Christian pastors, do you think that they'd be willing to travel with the real Jesus?

except his handsome features, with the rugged clothing he had, what do you think is the very first impression of someone living in our time - SIAO. even when i saw someone of 2m wearing, that walking in orchard road, i will call 999 even if he is buddha.

...and also even if he's Jesus.

 

[Ramseth]

the clothes that he took was actually from discarded death bodies. yes the clothes that was used to wrapped the dead bodies. this was how the monks obtained their clothing in the time of the buddha.

This is austerity not only extreme but also beyond extremity. Of course, hygiene is the first issue that comes to mind. But more importantly, such practice amounted to utter disrespect for the remains of the dead. I'm not sure that there was any permission given, but most probably not, for who'd permit the remains of their dearly departed to be stripped naked? In that case, there's also the question of taking without permssion. Taking without permission is of course, With due respect, the Buddha and his early disciples should had accepted cloth donation for their robes just like they'd accepted food donation for their meals.

 

[denzuko1]

I believe everybody has seen one or more Buddha statues before. The Buddha is always sculptured with long curly hair tied up in top knot. Whereas the Buddha obviously had never shaved his head, why do Buddhist monks shave their heads?

My understanding is that Buddhist consider hair as 3,000 strands of miseries (metaphorically speaking). Removing the hair is a symbol of setting determination to rid one self of misery, thus sufferings. So Monk shaves.

It is also a symbol to follow the Buddha's path since Gautama also have his head shaved when he determined to find the way to end sufferings. What you saw in temples are his image after attaining enlightenment, thus hair does not affect him negatively, so no baldness there.