monasticismrepentance, singing, aiding peasants in their work, caring for lepers and
outcasts, and begging for their sustenance. The organization of the order
is left to others who devise the Rule of St. Francis, which make three
spiritual demands: absolute poverty, refusal to solicit or accept ecclesi-
astical privilege, and renunciation of all human learning. These three
demands are believed to prevent sources of spiritual corruption. In
England, the Franciscans are known as the Grey Friars, whereas the
Dominicans were called the Black Friars.
Other forms of Catholic monasticism promote different agendas. The
Cistercian Benedictines want to reform the order by renewing the prac-
tice of rigorous asceticism. The Jesuits are founded to counter heretical
(Reformation) teachings and to propagate the faith as missionaries, while
the Trappists (a type of Cistercian order) want to practice a life of silent
piety and prayer. Despite its members desire to live apart from society,
monasticism makes significant cultural contributions in the West because
monks help to preserve Latin classics and patristic writings by copying
manuscripts, preserve the heritage of ancient science, and become superb
illustrators.
These types of Western cultural contributions are also evident in
Buddhism. Although Jesus never explicitly insists on monasticism, the
historical Buddha does want a monastic community that is called the
SamÛgha, a term that is synonymous with gaÏa, which indicates a politi-
cal, professional, commercial group, or assembly of elders who govern
tribal states. In Buddhism, the term possesses a narrower meaning of a
fraternity of monks. The Buddhist monastic community can theoretically
be without a leader because the teachings of the Buddha can guide it. The
Buddhist SamÛgha is considered one of the three jewels (triratna) of the
religion along with the Buddha and dharma (teachings), and everyone is
encouraged to take refuge under the three jewels.
Buddhist monasticism is rooted in a wandering lifestyle typical of
many sects and lone individuals. These wanderers have to contend with
the annual monsoon season and this results in a break from their travels
in what become rain retreats. Among the Buddhists, these rain retreats
become more permanent locations as a congregation of fellow monks
develop in either a town or the countryside. In time, monasteries (leÏa,
private abode) develop and form a compact unitary establishment for a
settled body of monks that is private in the sense that it is built to house
a single monk fraternity.
Likewise, Buddhist monastic rules slowly evolve in response to inci-
dents that occur and need a rule about whether or not the behavior is
acceptable or contrary to monastic spirit. While the Buddha is alive, he
functions as the voice of authority on matters of monastic discipline, but