Monk facts for kids
A monk is a man who devoted part or all of his life to a religion. The word comes from Ancient Greek, and can be translated as solitary. In Greek, the word can be used for men and women alike, but in English,a woman who does the same is called a nun. Monks practice asceticism. They either live alone, or together with other monks who share the same ideals. Monks can be found in different religions, most often in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism and Taoism.
The monks who live on their own are usually called hermits, those living with other monks do so in monasteries. Nuns living together do so in a convent.
Some laws monks might choose to obey:
- Poverty: the monk cannot own anything.
- Chastity: the monk cannot start a family or get married.
- Solitude: the monk should always be alone. Some monks choose to not follow this law.
- Silence: the monk shall not speak unless it is necessary.
- Generosity: the monk should always help other people.
- Stillness: the monk cannot travel far unless it is necessary. Sometimes this means that the monk must be cloistered which means that they must not leave their monastery (especially Warsa period). Sometimes they can be allowed to leave, but must not go very far.
- Duty: The monk must do some things every day. For example the monk must pray or meditate and must do some work.
Images for kids
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Portrait depicting a Catholic monk of the Carthusian Order (1446)
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Buddhist monks collecting alms
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Buddhist monks in Thailand.
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Monk resting outside Thag-Thok Gompa, Ladakh
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Buddhist monks performing ceremony in Hangzhou, China.
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Painting of a Franciscan monk, shown with a traditional tonsure hairstyle
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A Basilian monk
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The nave of the church at Jasna Góra Monastery, one of the last monasteries run by the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit
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The cloister of Lehnin Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery
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Munich's city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name
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Loccum Abbey continued as a Lutheran monastery since the 16th century A.D.
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Monastery of St. Dionysius on Mount Athos.
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General view of Holy Trinity-Makaryev Monastery, on the Volga River in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.
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Monk near Saint Petersburg, Soviet Union (c., 1931) by a traveler DeCou, Branson.
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Acharya Vidyasagar, a possessionless and detached Digambara Jain monk
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A prominent Digambar Jain monk
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Five Mahavratas of Jain ascetics
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White-clothed Acharya Kalaka
See also
In Spanish: Monje para niños
