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​​​