Ajahn Brahm's advice - inappropriate monastic behaviour

An Eternal Now SG

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marcteng SG

well said, I agree with what venerable said.

By the way, do you have his email address as I got something to email to the venerable?

An Eternal Now SG

No I don't have... you may visit the website to look around or talk to the moderator.

The moderators may have contact with Ajahn Brahm.

marcteng SG

If the Buddha said its not acceptable to possess money for monks, I think monks should adhere to the precept whichever tradition the monks belong.

There should be a person (layfollower) in the temple that can help the monk by safekeeping the money in a savings account which lay followers donate to the monk. If the monk need something, that person can just use the savings account to buy for that monk. Anyway a monk shouldn’t have many world possessions, except for the robe he is wearing, toothpaste, toothbrush, toiletries etc. If a devotee were to donate a condo or car to a monk, I think the monk should reject it as he does not need that.

marcteng SG

I dunno what to say when a monk charges 1k for funeral services to the bereaved family.

Once I saw a monk driving a merc to the funeral and I was told the family of the deceased paid 1k to the monk to conduct funeral rites.

When my auntie passed away many years ago, all I did was to invite 4 monks to the funeral. The temple had a volunteer driver to drive the monks to the wake. After chanting, only red packets (voluntary) were given to the monks as appreciation and they were driven back to the temple by the volunteer driver. I think the red packets did not amount to $100, probably lesser.

marcteng SG

There are many monks and nuns in this world and not all of them are real. Some become monks to take money from devotees and public. Some even deviate from the Buddha’s teachings and create an off shoot from Buddhism.

Those who monks who practises are the ones adhering to the vinaya, like not taking food after 12 and does not possess money. When they conduct funeral rites for the deceased family, they usually partake the meals prepared by the deceased family and even if they are given ang bao as appreciation, I think they will channel the money back to the temple and not for himself.