Lay Life Versus Monastic Life 

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Monastic life isn’t tough because you have to work hard all day long. It isn’t tough because you don’t have any time for yourself. It isn’t tough because there is no time to practice, it’s tough because there are no exits and you come up so close to yourself. When I mentioned this to the abbot of Gampo Abbey, Thrangu Rinpoche, he said, “Well, isn’t that the point, that you see yourself?”
—Pema Chodron, No Place to Hide

Considering the differences between lay and monastic life is essential for understanding the uniqueness and value of both paths, as well as for discerning which path may be best for you. Especially now, as many Western monastics are living outside of a traditional monastic setting, and also as many lay practitioners are practicing very seriously, these questions are important to consider.

We encourage you to keep these questions in the back of your mind throughout the course, as you consider what it means to be a monastic and especially if you are still in the process of discerning whether or not to take monastic vows.

Questions for reflection:

  • What is the difference between the path of a dedicated lay practitioner and a monastic?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a monastic instead of a lay practitioner?

  • What are my goals or hopes for what I will be able to accomplish as a monastic? We invite you to write these down, and to be as inclusive and honest as possible.

  • With each of the goals and hopes you wrote down above, consider whether you may also be able to achieve them as a dedicated lay practitioner, and/or why it would be easier as a monastic.

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  • Mingyur Rinpoche on monastic life vs. lay life