ok, so this from slate.com......Amid historic demonstrations against the Burmese government, 10,000 maroon-robed monks protested the military junta in Yangon on Sunday. The next day, 1,000 monks led a crowd of almost 100,000 in a 12-mile march. How many monks does Burma have?
No one really knows, but experts in the West estimate between 300,000 and half a million. In Burma, like in other Southeast Asian countries, it's customary for a male to enter a monastery at some point in his life. Some might remain a monk for just a few days, while others—an estimated 15 percent—stay for life. (A monk's tenure might depend on how religious he is or how much money he could earn outside the monastery.) Either way, it's a good thing to have on your résumé: Monks hold the highest status in Burmese society, and men are considered more mature and marriageable if they've been ordained. A man might also join the monkhood to acquire merit, or good karma, to help his mother have a better next life; even a short stint is thought to help.
No comments:
Post a Comment