Monastery Project

The life of a monastic does not mean an escape from society. As a lay person you have a lot of freedom to lead your own life. When you feel uncomfortable, you can call a friend or turn on the television. There are no such escapes for monastics, they lead restricted lives, but this restriction provides a kind of inner freedom, because a person is forced to look at himself and transform his inner disorder. The wisdom of living a monastic life could well be called the wisdom of not escaping.

Living with vows is more powerful than living without them. But one must carefully examine the vows and see if one is able to keep them supported by a Master as their guide and that is how a monastic community functions to sustain life with the Pratimoksha vows.

When the person becomes a monastic, he must give up his own possessions, house, clothes, etc. It changes three things, the name (the monastic name given to oneself has a special meaning), the clothes (one should no longer wear lay clothes, but wear the monastic habit at all times) and the mind, as it is most important to change.

Traditionally, people who are in debt, mentally or physically ill, over the age of 60, on the run from the law, etc., are not candidates for ordination. This is because the life of a monastic is very arduous and it is necessary to maintain the good name of the community. People who have had a family (wife, husband, children) can also be accepted.

Becoming a monastic is not just an individual decision, but requires speaking up and having the acceptance of the family. Extensive study of the Dharma, stable practice, pure moral motivation and conduct, and guidance from a teacher are required.

 

When the person joins the Sangha community, they represent the Buddhist monastic community and Buddhism. As a member of the Sangha, the person must live with other monastics and be willing to compromise their wishes for the welfare of the group. As a member of the Sangha, one also respects senior monastics and is willing to take their advice and train with them in a mentor/student relationship (as long as their advice is Dharma and you feel their training and wisdom is sufficient). .

 

It is advisable to have savings before ordering and finding a suitable community. It is preferable to work within the monastery, as well as be with other monastics and get the necessary guidance that can teach about monastic life and vows.

 

The monastic life is not easy, nor is it better than the secular life. The problems and sufferings that we have in lay life follow us in monastic life, they just change shape a bit. There will always be problems in life, money problems, people we don't get along with, cultural differences. As monastics, we are advised to unearth the root of all our problems, greed, hatred and delusion, and to be flexible and open-minded with the inevitable conflicts and difficulties that arise.

Being a monastic makes us different from other people, our vows and way of life change, as do our approach and habits. Living with like-minded people who hold the same vows and have the same values is highly recommended. Monasticism will never take off in the West without strong monastic communities and places where monastics can obtain essential traditional training.

Having given a pragmatic description of monastic life, it is important to remember that the heart of a long and happy career as a monastic is to keep an open mind and an open heart to try to put the Dharma into practice at every moment of life. The life of a monastic is very significant and creates very good and powerful karma due to study, service, meditation and living in the vows by practicing virtue and confession. The monastic follows the lifestyle that Buddha chose. A simple and direct way to realize the reality of the self and of existence. Buddha said that monastic life, living in vows is the most powerful way to practice to achieve liberation and benefit countless beings.