Intention to renounce and enter the homeless life(ie become a monk)

BhikkhuJayasara

I just wanted to make a post to see if there was anyone else on these wonderful forums who is working towards renouncing and becoming a Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni in the near future? I am looking towards entering Bhavana Society in May of 2014 to do so. Of course I then have a year living there as a resident and a year as a novice monk before I'd take full ordination. While I know that impermanence plays havoc with our plans, and I may or may not end up being a monk, it is an intention I've been working towards for some time.

anyone else? what are your plans and how has the process been for you? If you have ordained in the past I'd be interested to hear your story as well.

ecdrewello1

Hey again. I am hopeing that situations (financial and geographic) in my life will allow me to start the process of ordination in the next 1-3 years. I'm not terribly in a hurry, but I have talked with my teacher and I think with a little time I'll be allowed to shave my head and start working on it. I'd love to talk to a Theravadan about how everything works for them. I'm a member of Nichiren-Shu, one of the big diferences is that I'd have to be working a day job and learning in my "spare time". There's usually a period of 2 or so years where one is considered a Shami and trains at a temple. Then you need to go to a 35 day training class called Shingyo Dojo in Japan, after which if you pass you are fully ordained. I seem to be doing well with the academic parts, but the physical part of sitting and bowing is hard...

BhikkhuJayasara

Interesting. unfortunately I don't know very many actual specifics in terms of what kind of testing and the like there is in Theravada. Interesting to hear how it's done in Nichiren. You have to go all the way to Japan though?

also sitting is hard for everyone even after many years lol, even monks admit to this. Seems like you either get use to it.. or get use to the pain :P

Cole_

I wish you the best of luck good sir! When you get ordained you better come back and put all us noobs in our place!

caz

Perhaps one day I shall seek Ordination, I thoroughly rejoice in the good fortune of those who do !

BhikkhuJayasara

Cole_ said:

I wish you the best of luck good sir! When you get ordained you better come back and put all us noobs in our place!

I plan to... if it were not for the virtual Sangha called the Buddha Center on the program second life, as well as forums like this, and the teachings of visionary monastics put online.. I wouldn't be in this position moving towards renunciation. I know there are many out there who are like I was.. searching for something but they don't know what. I have a youtube channel that I put my dhamma talks up in for the buddha center and I'm going to begin a video journal on my journey that I hope to continue once I ordain. the internet, like anything else, can be used for skillful and unskillful purposes, and I intend to use it to perpetuate dhamma

I haven't seen any monastics on here yet, but on websites like dhammawheel there are monastics, and there are also monastics who teach at the buddha center.

Takuan

I may ordain as a priest at some point. As of now, my plan is to pursue a Buddhist education at a university in Japan and decide my path from there.

Cole_

Jayantha said:

Cole_ said:

I wish you the best of luck good sir! When you get ordained you better come back and put all us noobs in our place!

I plan to... if it were not for the virtual Sangha called the Buddha Center on the program second life, as well as forums like this, and the teachings of visionary monastics put online.. I wouldn't be in this position moving towards renunciation. I know there are many out there who are like I was.. searching for something but they don't know what. I have a youtube channel that I put my dhamma talks up in for the buddha center and I'm going to begin a video journal on my journey that I hope to continue once I ordain. the internet, like anything else, can be used for skillful and unskillful purposes, and I intend to use it to perpetuate dhamma

I haven't seen any monastics on here yet, but on websites like dhammawheel there are monastics, and there are also monastics who teach at the buddha center.

Very cool, sounds like you're making skillful use of the tool! Second life is fun, I remember getting sucked into it for a month or two when I was younger. If you're comfortable with it I would personally love to hear your dharma talks, perhaps you might consider posting a link for us to check them out? I'll be following your journey if we both make it to that point. There is much to learn from another's journey! You simply must tell us about Japan when you get there. Hehe. I know a lot of us might not ever be able to make that trip. Japanese culture has fascinated me for as long as I can remember.

lobster

I tried becoming a monastic on several occasions. Just not up to it. Will I try again? Possibly. For now I will try being a better lay (so to speak)

DairyLama

I would need a monastery with a wide-screen TV.

Yadonashi

Good:-)
For the moment i can't cause of this :
Sa ghādisesa: Rules entailing an initial and subsequent meeting of the Sangha

1. Intentional emission of semen, except while dreaming, entails initial and subsequent meetings of the Community.

BhikkhuJayasara

Cole_ said:

Jayantha said:

Cole_ said:

I wish you the best of luck good sir! When you get ordained you better come back and put all us noobs in our place!

I plan to... if it were not for the virtual Sangha called the Buddha Center on the program second life, as well as forums like this, and the teachings of visionary monastics put online.. I wouldn't be in this position moving towards renunciation. I know there are many out there who are like I was.. searching for something but they don't know what. I have a youtube channel that I put my dhamma talks up in for the buddha center and I'm going to begin a video journal on my journey that I hope to continue once I ordain. the internet, like anything else, can be used for skillful and unskillful purposes, and I intend to use it to perpetuate dhamma

I haven't seen any monastics on here yet, but on websites like dhammawheel there are monastics, and there are also monastics who teach at the buddha center.

Very cool, sounds like you're making skillful use of the tool! Second life is fun, I remember getting sucked into it for a month or two when I was younger. If you're comfortable with it I would personally love to hear your dharma talks, perhaps you might consider posting a link for us to check them out? I'll be following your journey if we both make it to that point. There is much to learn from another's journey! You simply must tell us about Japan when you get there. Hehe. I know a lot of us might not ever be able to make that trip. Japanese culture has fascinated me for as long as I can remember.

I'm not the one who has to go to Japan .. I will be staying in the west because I believe the west is where teaching dhamma is needed, especially by a westerner like myself.

as for second life.. I use to be big into online video games.. I'm still a gamer to this day really, but I don't play anywhere near like I use to between work and a busy lay life with practice. So I joined SL to check it out and I did a lot of things on there exploring the world.. these days I log in to do my dhamma activities and log out .

here is the link to my youtube channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/StudentofthePath?feature=mhee

Yadonashi said:

Good:-)
For the moment i can't cause of this :
Sa ghādisesa: Rules entailing an initial and subsequent meeting of the Sangha

1. Intentional emission of semen, except while dreaming, entails initial and subsequent meetings of the Community.

ahahaha.. continue to practice friend and it will come naturally. I've gone through periods where I just naturally quit all sexual activity out of dispassion.. it just stopped. These days more and more I think and feel " whats the real point?" "what does it do for me?".. I don't get the same "rapture" out of " intentional emission of semen" like I use too.. and I feel more free for it haha.

the Ajahn in the book " blistered feet, blissful mind" when a lay person said how he could never give up sex.. Ajahn said " it is like an itch.. the less you scratch it.. the less it bothers you"... I agree.

Yadonashi

Thanks for advice:-)

ecdrewello1

Jayantha said:

You have to go all the way to Japan though?

As of right now there’s no ordination platform for Nichiren-Shu in the United States, there’s talk that if we can get a retreat center that maybe they’ll let us finally ordain over here. They do allow westerners to take the tests in English, but the training at Shingyo Dojo is in Japanese, though there is an interpreter. I’ve studied Japanese for years before I came to Buddhism, but the academic language of Buddhism is really beyond me. Like a kindergartener taking a college class.

I will be staying in the west because I believe the west is where teaching dhamma is needed, especially by a westerner like myself.

I couldn’t agree more. When I first came to Buddhism I was an over-the-top Japanophile and I really only came that first time so that I could check out a Japanese religion. I expected the priest to speak Japanese, and do the service in Japanese, etc. This wasn’t the case, and I’ve learned a lot. He was one of the first westerners to be ordained in N-Shu, and really believes in translating things into English, knowing why and how of everything that we do, and really de-mystifies a lot of it because there’s good lessons there if you know what it’s saying. I came to see that it was more than just a Japanese social club, and that it’s an important message for all people. It would be interesting to see how everything changes in a western context.

One of the questions that I have is (surprisingly hard to put into words) if it’s better to preserve as much of the Eastern context as possible or to blend Buddhism with western thought, etc. I’ve even seen arguments that we should build the teaching of Buddhism from Christian “roots” and philosophy… but, I don’t want to go off topic… just seems like a big concern for someone who’s trying to teach something Eastern to a Western audience.

Vastmind

Just wanted to say I am enjoying the Dhamma Talks by
our friend Jay I'm not in second life, but the youtube
link is working great. He has alot to share.

Thanks for the pick-me-up I got from
the Nov. talk about the jobs of a Lay Disciple.
The vid started to blink real bad about 7 mins in,
so I thought...Oh well...I looked off.....my daughter kept
walking by.(distracting me)..so then I thought...
I'll just close my eyes...I rewinded back, closed them...
..and then I heared the birds chirping! hahaha

Vastmind

^^^^ now that I read that....it sounds like the birds
were a distraction..hahaha They were not.

Part of the reason I'm enjoying the talks is the
nice location. Not to mention sharing the sits
with trees and animals.
I'm a sucker for a nice outside listen and talk.

BhikkhuJayasara

ecdrewello1 said:

Jayantha said:

You have to go all the way to Japan though?

As of right now there’s no ordination platform for Nichiren-Shu in the United States, there’s talk that if we can get a retreat center that maybe they’ll let us finally ordain over here. They do allow westerners to take the tests in English, but the training at Shingyo Dojo is in Japanese, though there is an interpreter. I’ve studied Japanese for years before I came to Buddhism, but the academic language of Buddhism is really beyond me. Like a kindergartener taking a college class.

I will be staying in the west because I believe the west is where teaching dhamma is needed, especially by a westerner like myself.

I couldn’t agree more. When I first came to Buddhism I was an over-the-top Japanophile and I really only came that first time so that I could check out a Japanese religion. I expected the priest to speak Japanese, and do the service in Japanese, etc. This wasn’t the case, and I’ve learned a lot. He was one of the first westerners to be ordained in N-Shu, and really believes in translating things into English, knowing why and how of everything that we do, and really de-mystifies a lot of it because there’s good lessons there if you know what it’s saying. I came to see that it was more than just a Japanese social club, and that it’s an important message for all people. It would be interesting to see how everything changes in a western context.

One of the questions that I have is (surprisingly hard to put into words) if it’s better to preserve as much of the Eastern context as possible or to blend Buddhism with western thought, etc. I’ve even seen arguments that we should build the teaching of Buddhism from Christian “roots” and philosophy… but, I don’t want to go off topic… just seems like a big concern for someone who’s trying to teach something Eastern to a Western audience.




We will have to have a little friendly competition on number of buddhist converts then! lol.. just kidding friend. The west is where the new seed of dhamma has been planted.. it's up to us to grow that seed and make sure those who , " have little dust in their eyes and without hearing the dhamma would be lost" , can find their home like we have .

as for "westernizing" the dhamma.. not a big fan of it.. I'm a fan of not worrying about the cultural rites and rituals that come from "buddhist countries".. but the actual message and practice from the original suttas.. that stays the same.

Vastminds said:

Just wanted to say I am enjoying the Dhamma Talks by
our friend Jay I'm not in second life, but the youtube
link is working great. He has alot to share.

Thanks for the pick-me-up I got from
the Nov. talk about the jobs of a Lay Disciple.
The vid started to blink real bad about 7 mins in,
so I thought...Oh well...I looked off.....my daughter kept
walking by.(distracting me)..so then I thought...
I'll just close my eyes...I rewinded back, closed them...
..and then I heared the birds chirping! hahaha

Vastminds said:

^^^^ now that I read that....it sounds like the birds
were a distraction..hahaha They were not.

Part of the reason I'm enjoying the talks is the
nice location. Not to mention sharing the sits
with trees and animals.
I'm a sucker for a nice outside listen and talk.

@vastminds Yes the location is the deer park in the Buddha Center on second life. The people there call me Jay as well lol. There is a big temple on the property as well but I never go there. the BC is an awesome place where monastics and lay persons from all traditions can come together. They have had at one point or another monastics from Theravada, Tibetan, Mahayana, and Pragmatic Buddhism and lay teachers like myself.There are many people who come to the BC who don't have a monastic community close to them, like myself(im the only buddhist I know in my daily life). If I am allowed and able to after I ordain, I plan to continue doing at least a dhamma talk on there.

Thank you for your kind words regarding my Dhamma talks. I kind of fell into that role in the BC and as long as people find it beneficial I will continue to do it. I love what Ajahn Brahm said about when he first started having to give talks as a monk. He said, if they like my talks and have benefit from it, very good.. if not.. well then I have more time to meditate in my cave. I feel the same way.


P.S as for the blinking.. I'm not sure what thats about.. probably a graphical glitch with fraps on my laptop.

BhikkhuJayasara

also just as an aside, for those who may be thinking about renunciation, I have a whole playlist of videos on my youtube channel from various monastics speaking about ordination and being asked questions about it.

you can find that here -

the other thing I forgot to mention are two answers I received from two different monastics (very different) when I asked them advice about the decision to renounce.

When I asked Ven Dhammajiva( Sri Lankan monk in 50s) about renouncing.. he said this " when becoming a monk, and not becoming a monk, are the same in your mind.. then that is when you renounce."

I also asked this question of a young Ch'an monastic at the Mahayana retreat I went to, he is younger then me, about 27. He said that "the first steps I should take it to start to go to a monastery on a regular basis and become part of the life there, see how the monastics live, help them, and do retreats, etc".

Seems to me that I've come to both.. while I feel that I am meant to be a monastic, I don't feel extremely gun ho and excited about it, I know what I would be giving up and that it is a hard life, but I also know it's for the best. Bhante G told me about people who come all gun ho and excited to be a monastic and they leave in 5 months lol.. aaah expectations.

and of course even though Bhavana is 5 hours away I have attached myself to that community as much as possible, going there 5 times within my first year, helping out all four days with the big Vesak celebration, etc.

anyone else have any advice given to them by monastics or videos regarding renunciation? please post.

caz

Jayantha said:

also just as an aside, for those who may be thinking about renunciation, I have a whole playlist of videos on my youtube channel from various monastics speaking about ordination and being asked questions about it.

you can find that here -

the other thing I forgot to mention are two answers I received from two different monastics (very different) when I asked them advice about the decision to renounce.

When I asked Ven Dhammajiva( Sri Lankan monk in 50s) about renouncing.. he said this " when becoming a monk, and not becoming a monk, are the same in your mind.. then that is when you renounce."

I also asked this question of a young Ch'an monastic at the Mahayana retreat I went to, he is younger then me, about 27. He said that "the first steps I should take it to start to go to a monastery on a regular basis and become part of the life there, see how the monastics live, help them, and do retreats, etc".

Seems to me that I've come to both.. while I feel that I am meant to be a monastic, I don't feel extremely gun ho and excited about it, I know what I would be giving up and that it is a hard life, but I also know it's for the best. Bhante G told me about people who come all gun ho and excited to be a monastic and they leave in 5 months lol.. aaah expectations.

and of course even though Bhavana is 5 hours away I have attached myself to that community as much as possible, going there 5 times within my first year, helping out all four days with the big Vesak celebration, etc.

anyone else have any advice given to them by monastics or videos regarding renunciation? please post.

In short from what I gathered from a very venerable monastics advice about Ordination was that Renunciation is first and foremost a state of mind wishing to abandon Samsara, There is no difference between a lay person and a ordained person with a qualified mind of renunciation they are both the same. Physically they may differ and vary in conduct but the mind of renunciation will be equal for both of them.

BhikkhuJayasara

caz said:

Jayantha said:

also just as an aside, for those who may be thinking about renunciation, I have a whole playlist of videos on my youtube channel from various monastics speaking about ordination and being asked questions about it.

you can find that here -

the other thing I forgot to mention are two answers I received from two different monastics (very different) when I asked them advice about the decision to renounce.

When I asked Ven Dhammajiva( Sri Lankan monk in 50s) about renouncing.. he said this " when becoming a monk, and not becoming a monk, are the same in your mind.. then that is when you renounce."

I also asked this question of a young Ch'an monastic at the Mahayana retreat I went to, he is younger then me, about 27. He said that "the first steps I should take it to start to go to a monastery on a regular basis and become part of the life there, see how the monastics live, help them, and do retreats, etc".

Seems to me that I've come to both.. while I feel that I am meant to be a monastic, I don't feel extremely gun ho and excited about it, I know what I would be giving up and that it is a hard life, but I also know it's for the best. Bhante G told me about people who come all gun ho and excited to be a monastic and they leave in 5 months lol.. aaah expectations.

and of course even though Bhavana is 5 hours away I have attached myself to that community as much as possible, going there 5 times within my first year, helping out all four days with the big Vesak celebration, etc.

anyone else have any advice given to them by monastics or videos regarding renunciation? please post.

In short from what I gathered from a very venerable monastics advice about Ordination was that Renunciation is first and foremost a state of mind wishing to abandon Samsara, There is no difference between a lay person and a ordained person with a qualified mind of renunciation they are both the same. Physically they may differ and vary in conduct but the mind of renunciation will be equal for both of them.

thank you for sharing that friend

footiam

Jayantha said:

I just wanted to make a post to see if there was anyone else on these wonderful forums who is working towards renouncing and becoming a Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni in the near future? I am looking towards entering Bhavana Society in May of 2014 to do so. Of course I then have a year living there as a resident and a year as a novice monk before I'd take full ordination. While I know that impermanence plays havoc with our plans, and I may or may not end up being a monk, it is an intention I've been working towards for some time.

anyone else? what are your plans and how has the process been for you? If you have ordained in the past I'd be interested to hear your story as well.

The life of a monk is not for everyone. Be a good monk when you are one and you would do justice to the Sangha. Way to go!