What do monks do for fun?

Question

I hope you don't consider my question silly. It seems to me that Yuttadhammo and other monks are always very serious and sincere, but monks like to have fun too, don't they?

Comments

Thank you for your comment, srilaxmy. Curious minds want to know!

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Thank you very much sankha. I partly expected your answer, but the monk's life is so radically different than the life most of us lead that it is difficult to imagine.

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I always noticed a sense of peace.

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To an enlightened monk, our way of living(the pursuit of sensual pleasures) is radically silly and pointless.

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Thanks for answering. I was curious because monks refrain from sensual pleasures and then they probably are not judging things as liking and disliking. No raga dwesha. Is this state really fun for them?

When I drink a cup of coffee usually, I enjoy every bit of it as my mind keeps thinking "that was so tasty".  When I drink the coffee with awareness, I just drink. There is no mind process judging anything. I am witnessing the drink going down. Now, the question is why isnt this aware state not as much fun? The higher states of meditation (bliss) is so much more fun than this awareness.

Is enlightenment pure happiness? Is it worth it?

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Mindfulness is judging indeed. But it is the correct judging. Ex: when taste arises, it's just tasting and nothing more. If liking arises, it's just liking and nothing more.  

The states of meditative happiness I'm talking about are the Jhaanas. They are still worldly, but much more stable and refined than any sensual pleasure.

Enlightenment leads to ending of all suffering. The reason why you keep looking for fun is because you are not satisfied with the current state. Enlightenment leads to ending of that dissatisfaction/thirst. It is indeed worth much more than any other goal you want to achieve in life.

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...Sadhu....I guess for a being of wisdom, observing ignorance in action is far more interesting and beneficial in many ways, than knowledge itself.

Answer 1

That is a good question. I am also curious.

Comments

Thank you for your comment, srilaxmy. Curious minds want to know!

Answer 2

Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.

Monks keep to the above precept so they are not supposed to have fun. They are supposed to dedicate their time to spiritual development. Pursuing 'fun' hinders one's spiritual progress. 

Having said that, the purpose of having fun is experiencing enjoyment. There is a non sensual form of bliss/enjoyment you get when you reach certain states of meditation. No sensual fun can compare to the satisfaction of those mental states.
 

Comments

Thank you very much sankha. I partly expected your answer, but the monk's life is so radically different than the life most of us lead that it is difficult to imagine.

---

I always noticed a sense of peace.

---

To an enlightened monk, our way of living(the pursuit of sensual pleasures) is radically silly and pointless.

---

Thanks for answering. I was curious because monks refrain from sensual pleasures and then they probably are not judging things as liking and disliking. No raga dwesha. Is this state really fun for them?

When I drink a cup of coffee usually, I enjoy every bit of it as my mind keeps thinking "that was so tasty".  When I drink the coffee with awareness, I just drink. There is no mind process judging anything. I am witnessing the drink going down. Now, the question is why isnt this aware state not as much fun? The higher states of meditation (bliss) is so much more fun than this awareness.

Is enlightenment pure happiness? Is it worth it?

---

Mindfulness is judging indeed. But it is the correct judging. Ex: when taste arises, it's just tasting and nothing more. If liking arises, it's just liking and nothing more.  

The states of meditative happiness I'm talking about are the Jhaanas. They are still worldly, but much more stable and refined than any sensual pleasure.

Enlightenment leads to ending of all suffering. The reason why you keep looking for fun is because you are not satisfied with the current state. Enlightenment leads to ending of that dissatisfaction/thirst. It is indeed worth much more than any other goal you want to achieve in life.

Answer 3

For enlightened beings, Fun is when they see ignorance in action. So people thinking they are not suffering, that they are having fun can be very funny actually.

If you are asking why are monks so serious, is because they do see the suffering and delusion in many instances. They also know cause and effect which means they will absolutely take this opportunity of being a monk very seriously (not all of them). Their rules of conduct are quite extensive so keeping it takes effort. Not keeping the rules would be very dangerous as a monk, because it has serious consequences both in this life and future lives. If they are a monk, living on the Buddhas' inheritance, it has serious consequences if they are having fun in the lay sense.

Also worth mentioning, likes and dislikes are the mindstates that a monk wants to leave behind. No preference is the goal. Fun or freedom from suffering? The two are completely opposite directions.

Comments

...Sadhu....I guess for a being of wisdom, observing ignorance in action is far more interesting and beneficial in many ways, than knowledge itself.