Ordination (수계)
Pages Information
Writer Jogye Date17 Aug 2015 Read7,022 Comment0Content
Ordination
수계
A life dedicated to the Buddhist path is not for everyone. To choose to be
a monk or nun means to adopt a life that is not easy at all; it can involve a
lot of hard work, a struggle to stay on the spiritual path, and it can be quite
lonely. Still some people want to dedicate themselves to the attainment of
Enlightenment. They receive ordination and take up the spiritual life of a monk
or nun.
In Mahayana tradition, when a person decides to take the vows of a fully
ordained Bhikshu or Bhikshuni, they are making a lifetime commitment to the
Buddhist path. Of course, if later they decide for whatever reason, that they
have made the wrong decision, they can always revoke their vows.
In the early days of the Buddha's Sangha, those who wanted to follow him
were admitted simply with the words "Come, monk" (ehi bhikkhu), but a
more formal ceremony was soon established.
In Korea an aspirant first becomes a postulant. After six to twelve months,
a postulant can take vows and become a novice (Sanskrit: sramanera,
sramanerika). When novices complete a training course of usually four years,
they are eligible for full ordination.
-
Adapted from the website (www.dharmafellowship.org)
- excerpt from Buddhist English (Elementary 1) published in 2014 by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
Comment List
No comments.