Hilton Chen
The Tattoed Monk
It is not unusual to find Buddhist monks in Cambodia who have tattoos, some to a fairly exensive part of their bodies. There isn't a negative connotation attached to inking the body as there is in other cultures. Most entered the monkhood with the tattoing already in place. Like me you may be wondering what the general view of Buddhism is on body modification, including tattoos. In the Theravada school of Buddhism, as is prevalent in many SE Asian countries, monks are typically expected to live a simple and austere life, and tattoos may be seen as a violation of these principles. But again, as the saying goes, it's complicated. Cultural practices and beliefs can vary widely from country to country, and individual monks may make personal choices that differ from the general guidelines.
The Tattoed Monk
It is not unusual to find Buddhist monks in Cambodia who have tattoos, some to a fairly exensive part of their bodies. There isn't a negative connotation attached to inking the body as there is in other cultures. Most entered the monkhood with the tattoing already in place. Like me you may be wondering what the general view of Buddhism is on body modification, including tattoos. In the Theravada school of Buddhism, as is prevalent in many SE Asian countries, monks are typically expected to live a simple and austere life, and tattoos may be seen as a violation of these principles. But again, as the saying goes, it's complicated. Cultural practices and beliefs can vary widely from country to country, and individual monks may make personal choices that differ from the general guidelines.