Monks are only supposed to focus on the core issue: liberating the mind. Since earning money and preparing food requires a large expenditure of time and money, the community is asked to provide. If they don't provide, they don't eat. If a situation becomes untenable, they simply move on without attachment or judgement.
As for begging, the act itself is a meditation on ego. Just try it sometime. It's hard to get one's practice so concentrated and intense so quickly, which is an advantage considering how ephemeral life truly is. Theravadan monks, especially of traditions such as Thai forest tradition which has spread all over the world, are especially strict (though that's not a great word for it) about keeping this tradition. But there are also situations in monasteries where novice monks prepare the food for the senior monks.
That said, not all monks have to follow this rule. Ordained Zen priests, for example, can and often must hold normal jobs (cooks, teachers, engineers, writers) and can be married and prepare their own food. It depends on the tradition.
An exception in this instance would be if you invited a teacher to hold a talk or a retreat. The person who invited the teacher would then arrange everything beforehand, from travel expenses to sleeping arrangements.
Groups who do this kind of thing, with whom I've been involved heavily in the past, are very devoted to making the teacher comfortable so they will come back if invited again or recommend another teacher to come, but also in observance of simply doing the right, good and kind thing.
As for begging, the act itself is a meditation on ego. Just try it sometime. It's hard to get one's practice so concentrated and intense so quickly, which is an advantage considering how ephemeral life truly is. Theravadan monks, especially of traditions such as Thai forest tradition which has spread all over the world, are especially strict (though that's not a great word for it) about keeping this tradition. But there are also situations in monasteries where novice monks prepare the food for the senior monks.
That said, not all monks have to follow this rule. Ordained Zen priests, for example, can and often must hold normal jobs (cooks, teachers, engineers, writers) and can be married and prepare their own food. It depends on the tradition.
An exception in this instance would be if you invited a teacher to hold a talk or a retreat. The person who invited the teacher would then arrange everything beforehand, from travel expenses to sleeping arrangements.
Groups who do this kind of thing, with whom I've been involved heavily in the past, are very devoted to making the teacher comfortable so they will come back if invited again or recommend another teacher to come, but also in observance of simply doing the right, good and kind thing.
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