How far can a monk spend luxury and money for himself?

It's a difficult problem that's hard to say unequivocally, but the question is paramount

There are various people in the history of monks.
For example, my house is a temple and I got a monk qualification while I was young, but after leaving university, I served as a general enterprise or public servant, and since I couldn't be the previous chief priest, I retired from work and became the chief priest; these people mainly spent their time as office workers or public servants, so people who like foreign cars ride.

Other than that, if it's just a temple, I can't live in any way, so I work at a company on weekdays and do duties as a monk only on weekends, and even in cases like this, more than half are office workers, etc., so it's probably unavoidable that they spend money on hobbies to some extent or end up looking flashy.

The above 2 patterns may be understood by people who know the situation, such as parishioners.

The idea that they only work as monks and ride foreign cars is definitely not a good image from parishioners
Also, as can be said in all 3 patterns up until now, “I know that person is qualified as a monk, and I know that they ride in a foreign car,” if you don't know that they usually work for a company, you will get antipathy.

I believe that people who talk to others need to have tools in their minds to some extent.
I think it will be a tool for understanding the other person better because you have hobbies, various common knowledge, etc., so you can empathize with the other person.

However, I think that kind of thing is something you put in a place to show off or play with parts that are not really visible to people.
It means that you can take a picture of something you use for leisure and post it on a blog, but it's not something to show off on a regular basis.

In that respect, it's probably difficult because there's nothing you can do about cars, of course it's fine for talking to car lovers, but considering that an unspecified number of people see them... it's difficult

For example, I think it would be nice if it was a game, anime goods, comics, or a road bike, or something that you usually keep in your house.
I think it's good to like foreign cars, but I think we have to devise ways to make them difficult to see

After all, if you just look at that, the image won't be good.

There are two sides to the problem.
The first is the issue of training as a Buddhist.
When it comes to this, luxury itself isn't evil if you don't get attached to it. If it's not an abnormal purchase from that person's financial state, it's not abnormal greed, and being stingy is rather a source of anger, so if you have money you can use it, you can use it. Consumption is also positive for the local economy.
It's not good if you have a sense of pride that you want to show off your luxury car to others.
If you were asked by a car shop, “Could you buy it,” and they immediately answered “OK” because they just happened to have money, and just bought it because they were asked to do anything else, there is no problem. If it is possible in terms of ability, the lightness to take on any request other than crime is also a human virtue.

The second is an image strategy issue. Generally, it is common knowledge that if a monk is riding in a luxury car or a flashy car, the impression will be bad, so if you are conscious of improving your image of a temple or Buddhism, you should also consider choosing a car. Not (not being able to) do that may be a problem with the management ability of a temple.

Well, the standard of what is luxury is also flawless.
If it's a city, having a private car may be a luxury, and in the countryside, it's inconvenient if you don't have one car per person.

What I learned from my senior monk
Whether it's a car or the size of a television, it means that personal possessions should be slightly below the average of what a parishioner owns.
So, having an expensive car just because you have money is disqualified from my point of view as a monk.
However, I wonder if it is a case where the parishioners make an offering to use this expensive item with care, I wonder if it will be forgivable.

Takemaru-sama
Thank you for the question, which is hard to hear. My name is Sayama from 500 Arakan-ji Temple in Meguro.
As Mr. Takemaru said, I think it's an issue where each monk has a different opinion. I hope you think it's my opinion.

First of all, not all cars parked at a temple belong to a temple.
The number of believers is small, and in the case of temples where maintaining a temple is not possible with Buddhist rituals alone, there are places where land is rented out as a parking lot.
Also, various people come to visit the temple. There are also cases where rich people and great politicians come inside.
There are also cases where such people are misunderstood when they park luxury cars in the precincts.

“But there are cases where the car you own at the temple is a luxury car, right?” There are also people who say that.
Temples sometimes pick up and drop off various customers. Among them, there are great teachers and great monks.
At that time, there may be temples that own luxury cars in order to welcome customers more safely.

“Even if you say that, the truth is, after all, monks ride luxury cars as a personal hobby, right?” You might want to say that.
Certainly, there are also monks who ride luxury cars as a personal hobby, to put it bluntly. However, as Mr. Takemaru said, I don't think it can be helped to some extent. That's because it's a personal hobby.
If you're not bothering people, I don't think there's a problem.

I cherish the term “self-care.” When I listen to people's concerns and consultations, I can't calm down and listen to their stories unless my own mind and body are in good health.
Therefore, when I'm off, I need to heal my heart depending on my hobbies, etc.
I think some monks say that is riding a luxury car.

However, if you drive around too much in front of believers, of course, you won't have a good impression.
I think it's quite conceivable that monks who can't read that kind of air will gradually become less popular in the future, and they will not be looked at at.

I want people to enjoy it in moderation, without bothering people, and with “good moderation.”

I think what you're most interested in is how it is as an obsession.
There is a part where Japanese people are too clean and, conversely, deviate from the Buddha's teachings. Actually, the temples of Theravada Buddhism are far more golden than Japanese Buddhism.
http://myanmarlog.blogspot.jp/2013/06/no1.html

Why is that? Certainly, indulging in luxury is a natural mistake, but conversely, having allergies is also an obsession. This is because there are only two extremes, and a heart of dislike is a heart of dislike and causes suffering.
In fact, Buddha said that a temple should be built in a place moderately close to a remote village or in a town, not in Miyama Yugoku, and he died after wearing a donated golden silk cloth robe.

The feeling of “having luxury goods makes you unclean” is an idea of poverty that originated in China, not Buddhism. In Japan, it's probably due to Shushi studies in the Edo period.

Originally, in terms of Buddhism, the point that “suffering occurs because we notice good or bad quality” is important. Ownership itself is not bad, and the unshakable mind is questioned regardless of whether one owns it or not. I think he is a monk only when he carefully preaches such a “middle way.”

As a matter of fact, I think it is necessary to carefully re-explain Buddhism, which is full of misunderstandings, including the fact that most monks don't have the financial strength to get their hands on foreign cars or luxury cars.

Nonetheless, when I guided my parents-in-law to Motoyama, I saw the monk's crown and it felt an indescribable disgusting atmosphere. That's the general feeling. I felt like I would refrain from luxury cars even if I could afford it. However, it seems that some parishioners ask that they come to our funeral in a luxury car because they can rent a car... it's not simple.

My favorite car is a Honda Freed. At grand home memorial services and home funerals in the countryside, you can put wooden fish, large and small bells, things like drums and cymbals, flags, pagodas, court bags, etc. in a large chair and seat 2 people with your master, so you need a certain size. The salary is also pure wealth if you trace it back, but I hope you can forgive me because it is related to my work as a monk.

Or, a monk runs 40,000 km a year and preaches in various places, but such people don't have time to play. I'd like you to at least make it comfortable to move around, but is that difficult?