Maintaining (the) Order: Conclusions
Berthe Jansen
Chapter from the book: Jansen, B. 2018. The Monastery Rules: Buddhist Monastic Organization in Pre-Modern Tibet.
Chapter from the book: Jansen, B. 2018. The Monastery Rules: Buddhist Monastic Organization in Pre-Modern Tibet.
In addition to summing up the main points and arguments made throughout the study, the conclusion to the book further discusses the central position of the Tibetan monastery in society and the role of Buddhist monasticism on societal change. The monastic reluctance to change is connected to the Buddhist idea of ‘the age of decline’ (kaliyuga), as well as the position of the Sangha as the guardian of Buddhism. It is argued that monastic perceptions of what is just or morally right are intimately connected to the monk’s duty to bring about the happiness of all, but simply not in the way that most people would presume: monks are bringing about the welfare of others by maintaining order and discipline.
Jansen, B. 2018. Maintaining (the) Order: Conclusions. In: Jansen, B, The Monastery Rules. California: University of California Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/luminos.56.i
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Published on Oct. 23, 2018