The Buddhist way of life

Among practising Buddhists living in the West only very few ever choose to be ordained. This is one of the big questions facing 21st century Buddhism: what is the value of becoming a monk or nun, and can Buddhism survive without monasticism?

Buddhism is not only about meditation – it is a way of life, both personal and social. Here is a brief overview of the Buddhist way of life that continues in Asian Theravada communities today and which is, no doubt, very close to the way life was lived in the Buddha’s time.

Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Thailand

As it spread across Asia from India Buddhism adapted to each new society especially on the level of social customs. This means that the social aspects of the Buddhist religion are culturally specific. I focus here on Sri Lanka and Thailand where the basic way of life of the Buddhist community today is very close to the way it would have been in India in the Buddha’s day.

The main feature of Buddhist society in these countries is that it can be div…