Bhikkhu

Bhikkhu
Bhikkhus in Phutthamonthon, Thailand
Chinese name
Chinese比丘
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinbǐqiū
Wade–GilesPi3-ch'iu1
Native Chinese name
Chinese和尚、僧侶
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinhéshàng, sēnglǚ
Wade–Gileshe2-shang4
Burmese name
Burmeseဘိက္ခု
Tibetan name
Tibetanདགེ་སློང་
Transcriptions
Wyliedge slong
THLgelong
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetTì-kheo (Tỉ-khâu)
Tăng lữ
Chữ Hán比丘
僧侣
Thai name
Thaiภิกษุ
RTGSphiksu
Japanese name
Kanji僧、比丘
Transcriptions
RomanizationSō, biku
Bengali name
Bengaliভিক্ষু
(Bhikkhu)
Tamil name
Tamilதுறவி, tuṟavi
Sanskrit name
Sanskritभिक्षु
(Bhikṣu)
Pali name
PaliBhikkhu
Khmer name
Khmerភិក្ខុ
UNGEGN: Phĭkkhŏ
ALA-LC: Bhikkhu
Nepali name
Nepaliभिक्षु
Sinhala name
Sinhalaභික්ෂුව
Telugu name
Teluguభిక్షువు, bhikṣuvu
Odia name
Odiaଭିକ୍ଷୁ, Bhikhyu

A bhikkhu (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, romanizedbhikṣu) is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics (bhikkhunī) are members of the Sangha (Buddhist community).

The lives of all Buddhist monastics are governed by a set of rules called the prātimokṣa or pātimokkha. Their lifestyles are shaped to support their spiritual practice: to live a simple and meditative life and attain nirvana.

A person under the age of 20 cannot be ordained as a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni but can be ordained as a śrāmaṇera or śrāmaṇērī.