Do you have to follow a monastic lifestyle to attain enlightenment?

Question

How do the different groups/sects of Buddhism view attaining enlightenment and living a common life? In other words, do they think it is possible to be a common person and achieve enlightenment? Even for someone who has a family, friends and coworkers that aren't Buddhists?

What if you stay at home most of the time. Just work and come home and don't associate with anyone. isn't that a monk? — user20134, Dec 03 '20 at 18:04

score 13 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 01 '17 at 19:24

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Do you have to follow a monastic lifestyle to attain enlightenment? At first approximation, the answer is: yes in Theravada, no in Mahayana.

Since probably as early as Milindapanha (~100 BCE) and most certainly by the time of Vissudhimagga (~430CE), the orthodox (~Theravada) position was, you must be a monk to attain Nirvana.

But since you asked about Enlightenment, I should point out that Enlightenment is the goal of Mahayana, while in Theravada, the final goal is usually called Nirvana (Nibbana in Pali), not Enlightenment (Bodhi in Pali). In Mahayana, Enlightenment can be attained by a layperson.

These are "official" positions (as much as we can talk about official positions in such a heterogeneous conglomerate of teachings as Buddhism). Informally, in my own understanding, what some Mahayana schools call "Enlightenment" is what Theravada schools call mere "stream-entry". Other Mahayana schools however have this notion of multiple levels (bhumi), in which what Theravada calls "stream-entry" is level 1 of 10, with Final Enlightenment counted as 11th. It kinda gets complicated from "stream-entry" onward, because the boundaries of "self" no longer apply, so it is difficult to talk about Enlightenment with no subject to tie it to.

Anyway, from practical perspective, the point is, it is extremely difficult to make any meaningful progress towards Enlightenment/Nirvana if most of your focus is on pursuing material ends (success, wealth, entertainment, helping your relatives achieve the same). In order to get pretty close to X while leading a semi-normal life, one's top priority must be spiritual practice, followed by family and everything else. This basically means, squeezing study of Buddhist philosophy here and there, making meditation part of your daily routine, and, most importantly, deliberately utilizing your family & work situations as shootingrange for Dharma practice.

edited Jan 01 '17 at 19:24

Hugh

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answered Jun 17 '14 at 23:47

Andriy Volkov

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I don't agree that the orthodox Theravada position was you must be a monk to attain Nirvana. Any sources? – yuttadhammo Jun 17 '14 at 23:54
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Here is the quote from Milindapanha: Whosoever has attained, as a layman, to Arahatship, one of two conditions are possible to him, and no other — either that very day he enters the Order, or he dies away, for beyond that day he cannot last. -- although this formulation is by the king, not Nagasena. Nagasena does confirm this though, explaining that a householder is too weak to retain Arahatship: "a tiny blade of grass when a heavy rock is placed upon it will, through its weakness, break off and give way". I am not in favor of this position, but I believe it's been orthodox for a while now – Andriy Volkov Jun 18 '14 at 00:04
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The quote from the Miln only says that a lay arahant either ordains or passes away; it doesn't say a lay person can't attain enlightenment. – yuttadhammo Jun 18 '14 at 00:14
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Here is another quote for you (MN 71.11) “there is no householder who, without abandoning the fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made an end of suffering.” -- this is said to support the traditional position. – Andriy Volkov Jun 18 '14 at 00:22
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AN 119–139 gives a list of householder who have attained Awakening. And that is right "without abandoning the fetter of householdership" but that does not mean that one can not abandon the only when living as a monk. There is also a sutta that explains what homeless means and speaking of the sense doors. Its common in Therevada countries to say so, it would be not possible, but that is an result of being actually more honest, that sensuality is a hindrance which one does not easy overcome, see MN14, a hh request, Mr Andrei. You have to live like a monk holds, you have the "be" a monk does'nt – Jan 03 '16 at 23:01
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Very good @SamanaJohann - this is why I always say there is Mahayana in Theravada and "hinayana" in Mahayana. – Andriy Volkov Jan 03 '16 at 23:04
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To my understanding, your analysis is incorrect; what I believe Mahayana calls Enlightenment is 1st Bhumi, which is a Bodhisattva position. Can't recall the sutra that states this (I think it was the Lotus sutra), but what I learned is that a 4th stage Arhat (attained Theravada's Nirvana) cannot even fathom the state of a 1st stage Bodhisattva. – Miguel Ping Jan 02 '17 at 11:14
MN 73 Maha Vacchagotta Sutta- Many, many people including lay people attained Nibbana at time of the Buddha! – Jun 06 '18 at 00:33
@avatar I think the sutta speaks about non-returners who abandoned five lower fetters, no? – Andriy Volkov Jun 06 '18 at 00:40
more than four or five hundred who have become arahants...with the destruction of the five lower fetters... – Jun 06 '18 at 01:20
@AndreiVolkov do you have any references for Mahayana enlightenment per your answer, "In Mahayana, Enlightenment can be attained by a layperson."? Thank you. – Jun 06 '18 at 01:26
I'm sorry but your sources are incorrect. Five lower fetters is a non-returner, Arahant is ten. The sutta speaks about non-returners. – Andriy Volkov Jun 06 '18 at 01:26
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Regarding Mahayana Enlightenment for householders, it is very common. For example Vimalakirti (the central figure of Vimalakirti Sutra) was "liberated through the transcendence of wisdom" (enlightened), see http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm – Andriy Volkov Jun 06 '18 at 01:45
"Many realized masters and practitioners of the Dzogchen lineages were laypeople, both men and woman. Many have attained liberation from suffering through engaging wholeheartedly in the teachings of the Dzogchen lineages in the Bön and other Tibetan Buddhist schools." – Jun 06 '18 at 02:14
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Sure. I mean, that's not a primary source, his word is as good as mine, but ok yes. – Andriy Volkov Jun 06 '18 at 02:20
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One might ask, why would anyone who sincerely aspires towards liberation still need to live the lay life? Some answers may be: to better understand suffering outside the seclusion of monastic life, or because monastic life isn't an option (geographically). As I understand it, the Buddha's journey required a fair amount of exposure to suffering before he discovered letting go. – Jul 05 '18 at 04:20

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 03 '16 at 20:16

Enlightenment is entirely mental; it can be achieved any where, at any time, and under any circumstance with the right emotional commitment. A monastic lifestyle only has to be followed on the emotional level; you can have vast amounts of material wealth if it does not corrupt your mind by creating any forms of obsession over that wealth.

user70 · Answer 3 · 2014-06-22T23:54:23.617

From Anapanasati Sutta:

Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination.

Here Buddha says mindfulness alone and the affects it arouses are enough for enlightenment.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 18 '14 at 00:27

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My understanding of Buddhism is that you can attain enlightenment provided you devote yourself to the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path. I have met enlightened people from time to time and not all of them were monastics.

If you're new to Buddhism and the above concepts are unfamilar to you, there are some concise summaries of basic concepts at What should everyone know about Buddhism.

answered Jun 18 '14 at 00:27

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How did you recognise enlightened people? – kalan nawarathne Jun 21 '14 at 03:55
This question has been answered in another thread. Is it possible to recognize a person who has achieved Arhatship? – user70 Jun 24 '14 at 23:06

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 18 '14 at 06:53

The question is who will get enlightened, the body or the mind? The answer is obvious, the mind. So when it is only the mind that gets enlightened all the external things are just auxiliary. So the answer to your question is both yes and no.

YES

Actions directly affect the mind. So by following a monastic life your actions will be limited to only those set of activities that help in controlling the mind and getting enlightened. Enlightenment will be quicker and easier because you will have to involve less in material activities.

NO

Because mind is what matters, if you can keep an ascetic attitude and mentality even when living a material life, you can certainly attain enlightenment. But it will be difficult to maintain a balanced mindset for a beginner this way because material actions will always be affecting his mind. So if mind can not be controlled while living in samsara then a monastic life should be preferred, otherwise it's not mandatory.

For an enlightened person it doesn't matter whether he lives in a monastery or in samsara as his mind becomes equipoised. But until that state of mind is achieved a monastic life should be preferred.

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 21 '14 at 10:54

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There is a lesser-known, non-monastic tradition in Tibetan Buddhism: a Ngagpa may marry and have children.

answered Jun 21 '14 at 10:54

score 1 · Answer 7 · 2016-01-04T00:32:23.867

You may get a understanding, of what's the matter with when reading Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Lesser Mass of Stress for example and to know of what the Buddha had to say. Yes, right livelihood (livestyle), one of the factor of the Noble Eightfold path is necessary.

(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of trade and keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Aug 18 '14 at 04:46

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Much information is covered in the other answers, hence a small clarification of what is generally belief in Sri Lanka.

You can become Enlightened while a house holder but you have to ordinate before 7 days after becoming enlightened.

answered Aug 18 '14 at 04:46

Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena

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I believe this is in a sutra (can't recall which one), which says that even if you get enlightened as a layperson, in 7 days you will want to become a monk/nun by yourself. Not sure, though – Miguel Ping Jan 03 '17 at 14:54

Do you have to follow a monastic lifestyle to attain enlightenment?

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