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Why do monks and Taoists both refer to themselves as being poor? Monks call themselves poor monks, and Taoists call themselves poor Taoists – do they really consider themselves poor?
Poor, here, refers to ordinary and common, a humble term that does not imply considering oneself superior.
I agree with what was said above; in simple terms, it’s a form of modesty.
These days, every monk and Taoist priest is extremely wealthy.
Monks are a term used to refer to those who follow Buddhist teachings, while Taoists are those who follow Taoist teachings. They call themselves ‘poor monks’ or ‘poor Taoists’ because both Buddhism and Taoism seek spiritual comfort; they downplay the importance of material life. Wealth, fame, and luxury hold no value in their eyes – they consider them meaningless. They strive to elevate their lives within their spiritual world and to find a way to achieve eternal life spiritually. This is something common to both Confucianism and Taoism.
Since wealth or poverty doesn’t matter, some should call themselves the \"Poor Path\" followers, others the \"Middle Path\" followers; it is only right for those who are wealthy to call themselves followers of the \"Rich Path\". The monk said the same. If these are completely ignored and there’s no need to put poverty at the forefront, then what’s the point of talking about poverty? ;P
Hehe, everyone values a life of earning one’s own keep. But there are those who rely on deceiving others and using cunning tactics to secure their own survival benefits, while even giving it a nice name,,,,,disgusting:o.
Here it refers to ordinary, common, and modest terms that do not imply one is superior to others