Characteristic of a Monk
僧人的品德：
Among the salient characteristics of a monk are purity, voluntary poverty, humility, simplicity, selfless service, self-control, patience, compassion and harmlessness. He is expected to observe the four kinds of Higher Morality _ namely:
純淨、自發、謙虛、樸素、無私、自律、耐心、慈悲、仁愛是僧人淳良的品德。他們遵守四種高尚的道德戒律：
Patimokkha Sila --The Fundamental Moral Code (major offenses related to immoral, cruel, harmful and selfish activities.)
一、基本的道德戒律(Patmoha Sila)，製約于不道德、殘忍、傷害及自私的行爲等等。
Indriyasamvara Sila --Morality pertaining to sense-restraint.
二、製約于欲望的戒律(ndryasamara Sila)。
Ajivaparisuddhi Sila --Morality pertaining to purity of livelihood.
叁、淨化生活的戒律(Ajaparsuddh Sila)。
Paccayasannissita Sila
-- Morality pertaining to the use of requisites pertaining to life.
四、生活必需品的戒律(Paccayasannssta Sila)。
These four kinds of morality are collectively called Sila-Visuddhi (Purity of Virtue).
這四種戒律稱爲「清淨戒」(Sila suddh)。
When a person enters the Order and receives his ordination he is called a Samanera _Novice Monk. He is bound to observe Ten Samanera Precepts with certain disciplinary codes for leading a monastic life until he receives his higher ordination
Upasampada _ to become a Bhikkhu or fully fledged monk.
當一個人剛剛加入僧團時，稱爲沙瑪內拉(Samanera)，他需要持守十條「沙瑪內拉戒」。一直到他接受了「比庫戒」後，才真正的成爲一名比庫(僧人)。
A bhikkhu or monk is bound to observe the above-mentioned four kinds of higher morality which comprise 227 rules apart from several other minor ones. The four major ones which deal with celibacy and abstinence from stealing, murder, and false claims to higher spirituality must strictly be observed. If he violates any one of these, a monk is regarded as a defeated person in the Sangha community. He will be deprived of certain religious rights by the Sangha community. In the case of other rules which he violates, he has to face many other consequences and make amends according to the gravity of the offence.
比庫必須接受四種「比庫戒」，共二百二十七條，及一些附帶的條款。比庫戒的主要範圍在于殺生、偷盜、邪淫、妄語等方面。身爲一名比庫必須嚴格的持守比庫戒，如果觸犯任何戒條，就會被視爲失敗者，同時被僧團剝奪某些權力。如果觸犯了其他的條例，就必須爲自己的過失負責，接受懲罰、做出彌補，同時忏悔于自己的過失。
出家爲僧，是個人對聖道生活的向往，不存在任何強製性或誓約。因此，僧人不受任何誓約的約束，僧人持守戒律是出于自願。當他想還俗時，他可以很自由的離開僧團，重新過著在家人的生活。