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
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, romanized: bhikṣu) 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.