Sorry for the etymological excursus, but here AI concatenates for us a few points about the history of the monastery and its name:
“The Stoudios Monastery (or Stoudion) is a 5th-century Greek Orthodox monastery in Constantinople, founded in 462 AD by Flavius Studius, a Roman patrician and former consul. Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, it became the most important monastery in the city and a major center of Byzantine spiritual and intellectual life.
Key details about the Stoudios Monastery:
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Significance: It was a powerhouse of Byzantine monasticism and a defender of Orthodox traditions, particularly in the veneration of icons during the 8th and 9th-century Iconoclasm.
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Influence: The “Studite Rule” developed here heavily influenced monastic life on Mount Athos and throughout the Orthodox world.
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Scriptorium: It was a renowned center for producing and illuminating manuscripts, which served as crucial historical records.
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Location: Situated in the Psamathia district (modern Koca Mustafa Paşa) of Istanbul, near the Sea of Marmara.
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Current Status: It is the oldest surviving church in Istanbul, though it has been in ruins since the 18th century, with some parts formerly used as the Imrahor Mosque.
The monks of Stoudios were known as Studites (or Stoudites).”
Can anyone relate their own Theravada monastic experiences of overzealous monks (whether young or old) wanting to eat less than the other monks, or sleep sitting down, etc.? How was the situation handled in the monastery? To what extent was this considered allowable?
It would be interesting to discuss the way the dhutanga are approached in different monasteries.
From Wikipedia:
Dhutanga
The dhutanga called “living under a tree without the shelter of a roof” (Pali: rukkhamulik’anga).
Dhutanga (Pali dhutaṅga, Sinhala: ධුතාඞ්ග) or dhūtaguṇa (Sanskrit) is a group of austerities or ascetic practices taught in Buddhism. The Theravada tradition teaches a set of thirteen dhutangas, while Mahayana Buddhist sources teach a set of twelve dhūtaguṇas.[1] The term is generally understood to be derived from the root dhu “to shake” and could mean practices which help one “shake off” the defilements.[1] Thus, the dhutangas are meant to help eliminate the defilements in the mind, and thus to deepen Buddhist practice. Their aim is to help the practitioner to develop detachment with material things including the body. Dhutanga practice is not considered a necessary requirement for a monk as is Śīla (virtue).
Theravada Buddhism
As these thirteen ascetic practices are mentioned in the Pali Tipitaka merely by its name, the Visuddhimagga is considered the only place in the Theravada Literature where adequate descriptions on dhutangas are found. The Visuddhimagga, the central Theravada Buddhist commentary treatise, by highly revered 5th century monk Buddhaghosa Thera, sets out detailed practical instructions for developing purification of mind by devoting a whole chapter to discussing dhutangas.
The thirteen dhutangas
The “open-air-dweller’s practice” (abbhokasik’anga) in Thailand
The Visuddhimagga lists the practices as follows:[2]
Thirteen kinds of ascetic practices have been allowed by the Blessed One to clansmen who have given up the things of the flesh and, regardless of body and life, are desirous of undertaking a practice in conformity [with their aim]. They are:
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Refuse-rag-wearer’s Practice (pamsukulik’anga) — wearing robes made up from discarded or soiled cloth and not accepting and wearing ready-made robes offered by householders.
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Triple-robe-wearer’s Practice (tecivarik’anga) — Having and wearing only three robes and not having additional allowable robes.
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Alms-food-eater’s Practice (pindapatik’anga) — eating only food collected on pindapata or the almsround while not accepting food in the vihara or offered by invitation in a layman’s house.
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House-to-house-seeker’s Practice (sapadanik’anga) — not omitting any house while going for alms; not choosing only to go to rich households or those selected for some other reason as relations, etc.
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One-sessioner’s practice (ekasanik’anga) — eating one meal a day and refusing other food offered after midday. (Those Gone Forth may not, unless ill, partake of food from midday until dawn the next day.)
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Bowl-food-eater’s Practice (pattapindik’anga) — eating food from his bowl in which it is mixed together rather than from plates and dishes.
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Later-food-refuser’s Practice (khalu-paccha-bhattik’anga) — not taking any more food after one has shown that one is satisfied, even though lay-people wish to offer more.
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Forest-dweller’s Practice (Araññik’anga) — not dwelling in a town or village but living secluded, away from all kinds of distractions.
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Tree-root-dweller’s Practice (rukkhamulik’anga) — living under a tree without the shelter of a roof.
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Open-air-dweller’s Practice (abbhokasik’anga) — refusing a roof and a tree-root, the practice may be undertaken sheltered by a tent of robes.
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Charnel-ground-dweller’s Practice (susanik’anga) — living in or nearby a charnel-field, graveyard or cremation ground (In ancient India there would have been abandoned and unburied corpses as well as some partially cremated corpses in such places.)
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Any-bed-user’s Practice (yatha-santhatik’anga) — being satisfied with any dwelling allotted as a sleeping place.
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Sitter’s Practice (nesajjik’anga) — living in the three postures of walking, standing and sitting and never lying down.
Benefits
Benefits of forest-dwelling practice, as mentioned in Visuddhimagga:
The benefits are these. A forest-dwelling bhikkhu who has given attention to the perception of forest (see MN 121) can obtain hitherto unobtained concentration, or preserve that already obtained. And the Master is pleased with him, according as it is said: “So, Nágita, I am pleased with that bhikkhu’s dwelling in the forest” (A III 343). And when he lives in a remote abode his mind is not distracted by unsuitable visible objects, and so on. He is free from anxiety; he abandons attachment to life; he enjoys the taste of the bliss of seclusion, and the state of the refuse-rag wearer, etc., becomes him. 55. He lives secluded and apart, remote abodes delight his heart; The Saviour of the world, besides, He gladdens that in groves abides. The hermit that in woods can dwell alone, may gain the bliss as well whose savour is beyond the price of royal bliss in paradise. Wearing the robe of rags he may go forth into the forest fray; such is his mail, for weapons too the other practices will do. One so equipped can be assured of routing Mára and his horde. So let the forest glades delight A wise man for his dwelling’s site.
R
