Are Buddhist monks bald because if they had lice they wouldn’t be allowed to kill them?

Answer

Best,

Buddhist monks and nuns do indeed shave the hair.

Based on the surviving sources, this was already the case at the time of the Buddha himself.

This indicates that one distances itself from the lay life. In addition, people also dress in monk clothes that clearly indicate the Buddhist identity.

Shaving the hair has been questioned in several Buddhist regions. This is especially the case in China, where shaving the hair was sometimes seen as rejecting the parents. Yet here, too, the custom has survived as one of the most prominent signs of Buddhist identity.

Bart Dessein

Regards,