What is monasticism and what is its significance within Buddhism?

hello: What is monasticism and what is its significance within Buddhism?
What is the relationship between monastic and lay Buddhists? What is Zen Buddhism? Pure Land Buddhism? Nichiren Buddhism?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Ryunyo
Monastic means being in a monastery. Being a monk or nun.

Monastics (monks and nuns) follow the simplest of the paths the Buddha taught. They follow strict rules so they don’t have to concern themselves about any decisions. They shave their heads, do not even touch members of the opposite sex, only eat one meal a day- all grasping of worldly things gradually fades away just because they do nothing to feed it. Once the grasping is weakened enough, it no longer warps their perceptions and they get a clear view of life, then they can start making real progress.

Lay Buddhists see the example of the monks and nuns, and gain confidence that simplifying their own lives and avoiding conflict can decrease their own stress. They understand what Buddhism is supposed to do. Then they can more accurately apply the practices for the laity.

Zen is somewhat similar, but it focuses on the teacher having accomplished enough that he or she can guide the students. So they don’t concentrate as much on the “rules”.

Pure Land in an extended metaphor, teaching the principles by myth. The “Pure Land” is Nirvana, and Amida Buddha is the Buddha-nature- the part of your mind that perceives, before the part that warps the perceptions by attachments and grasping. Getting back to that part, “relying on Amida”, is a big step in Buddhism, known as reaching the state of non-retrogression. It’s equivalent to the Theravadin monastics’ clear view of life. The raked sand gardens in Zen Temples started as models of the descriptions of the pure land in the Sutras. The monks and lay followers who were not literate used it as a guide to keep their practice on target.

Many Pure-land Buddhists think of Amida as a real person, and the Pure Land as a paradise, but that is not the official doctrine of most of the groups that use that method.

I don’t understand Nichiren enough to compare it.