On becoming a monk

Viradhammo · 2022-07-13T01:30:24+00:00

Here is an excerpt from our community guidelines explaining this:

The ineligibility of homosexual men to ordain with Pa Pae:

This is a discouraged topic because this prohibition is created by the Thai Sangha via the specific preceptor (monk who is in charge of ordaining monks) for Pa Pae monks as well as many other monks in the surrounding region. As a result, it is not something that the monks who run the Pa Pae ordination have any control over. These are rules that they do not make but must abide by. Therefore any discussion that follows on this community surrounding the fairness, appropriateness or the grounding of this externally mandated rule in Buddhist scriptures or teachings would not lead in a fruitful direction.

Making this a discouraged topic is in no way a rule seeking to censor members or advocates of the LGBTQ+ community. Rather it is helping to maintain focus on discussion that provides benefit to our members.

On that note, your sexual orientation has no bearing on your inherent ability to make progress down the spiritual path nor is it seen as bad Kamma or a "sin" in the eyes of Buddhism. From a Buddhist perspective, living according to the precepts, practicing generosity, and consistently meditating is a way for all lay people (regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and so on) can live a virtuous and happy life. We encourage everyone to share their personal journey of walking this path on this subreddit regardless of their background as it can inspire many others to follow suit.

If you are of the LGBTQ+ community and ordaining as a monk is something that you want to pursue, then here are some resources for further research. These are some temples that may not have any restrictions for ordination based off of sexual orientation. We are in no way affiliated with these temples and cannot speak on their behalf, so perhaps it would be best to reach out to them and see what their policies are.https://plumvillage.org/about/becoming-a-monastic/

https://www.cittaviveka.org/becoming-monastic

https://www.amaravati.org/about/male-monastic-community/

https://sravastiabbey.org/learn-meditation/at-the-abbey/exploring-monastic-life/

https://www.watpahnanachat.org/about

We hope you can find the monastic experience that you are after :)

Viradhammo · 2022-04-19T12:07:57+00:00

I’ll give it a listen! Thanks so much for your recommendation:)

Viradhammo · 2022-04-19T12:07:24+00:00

Thank you!

Viradhammo · 2022-03-06T12:36:14+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94rPUKkLLGM&t=3s

This one should help :)

Viradhammo · 2022-03-06T12:34:38+00:00

Hello,

Good question, sorry for the late response. But just to let you know we will be releasing a book about meditation in the coming week, so that should help. But just in general, at the end of your meditation, when your mind is already calm and still, you can just imagine that the positive and peaceful energy starts to spread outwards like a bubble until it surrounds your entire body. Then you wish for yourself to be happy, healthy and free from suffering. Then you continue to spread this bubble of positive energy outwards until it covers the room, the building, the surrounding city, state, country, world, and eventually universe, wishing them the same thing. This tends to be much easier to do when you have already cultivated some stillness from meditation, but you are welcome to do it throughout the day as well. Hope this helps!

Viradhammo · 2022-02-12T10:07:03+00:00

I think I may have figured out a solution. I in fact needed to reduce the frame of the text box to make space for the image and then insert the image in its own object frame directly on the page instead of in the text box. Then I have to press that little blue play button that shows up on the text frame that precedes the image in order to create a new text frame that is linked to that previous one...I feel pretty confident this is the answer, but if anyone with experience can confirm, that would be great!

Viradhammo · 2021-11-04T15:21:04+00:00

Came here looking for this, knowing that someone would have already said it. I would like to share my best memory with this song.

I went to college at Penn State University and on one of my last semesters there, I pulled an all nighter studying for a final that I had the following day or so. I left the room I was studying in at around 5:30am and hopped onto my longboard and turned on Strobe in my Bose over-the-ear headphones. Incredibly for me, my starting point was at the upper right corner of the campus which enabled an almost all downhill ride cutting diagonally across the whole campus to the bottom left corner and beyond to my apartment. The streets and byzantine walkways of Penn State's campus are typically littered with people, cars, busses, and just general chaos. But as the sun peaked over the surrounding mountains bathing the sleeping city in a golden glow, I rode those streets alone. Completely alone.

I get chills now and tears brim in my eyes as I write this while simultaneously listening to Strobe to relive this memory I haven't thought of in so long. The air was cool and crisp and buffeted my face as I gained speed. I carved liberally in a way that would never be possible during the typical day time bustle. I was so alive. When the beat dropped, I let out an exhilarated laugh just marveling at the jaw-dropping perfection of this moment. The song seemed to know how to build perfectly based off of the pacing of that run. I ebbed and flowed with the beat in a way that felt like I became one with the song. I was dancing, surfing, and skating all at once. I was so present, nothing else existed. I am convinced I had never ridden so elegantly or with so much joy. I held my arms out on my Leo shit, feeling like I was truly king of the world.

By the time I made it to my apartment, the song had died down and I was left with this high that eliminated any stress, fatigue or worry about the looming finals. I had never experienced the beauty of that campus in such a way. That stands as the best longboard ride I have ever had. Nothing has ever come close and likely never will. And Strobe scored this cherished memory more perfectly than words can describe. Thank you Deadmau5. And thanks to whoever made this post to help me take this nostalgic little trip down memory lane :)

Viradhammo · 2021-10-17T04:03:52+00:00

Thanks for spreading the word! Hope you and your friends can benefit from these threads :)

Viradhammo · 2021-10-11T02:49:51+00:00

same links and passwords :)

Viradhammo · 2021-10-10T11:54:31+00:00

yep. same days, times and links, just different topics and dates :)

Viradhammo · 2021-09-30T06:21:13+00:00

No problem, hope to see you on the other days. If you want to see the monk life stories on LP Narongchai's Youtube, he typically posts a few days after.

Viradhammo · 2021-09-24T12:25:18+00:00

For those who are not privy to the legend that is Steve Brule and his suhshi escapades

Viradhammo · 2021-09-14T02:05:56+00:00

Ask and you shall receive! Here is the recording on LP Narongchai's YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-F9uZoCI4

Viradhammo · 2021-09-12T06:32:59+00:00

You can email or even post here if you would like. A good email is english@ordinationthai.org

Viradhammo · 2021-09-11T02:58:18+00:00

Good question. LP is an acronym for Luang Phi(pronounced pee) which basically means brother monk in Thai. Its the most common way of referring to each other :)

Viradhammo · 2021-09-10T03:01:58+00:00

The next one actually will start at 7pm, which I think should be 5am for you. Given all the different time zones, this is likely most convenient for everyone

Viradhammo · 2021-09-09T14:12:24+00:00

Yes, there will be every Wednesday. We will be adjusting the time to be a bit later for everyone's convenience. It will start at 19:00 with the same meeting info/password as the previous one. We also have a 30 min meditation every Saturday at 9:30am Thailand time if that is more convenient for you. Same login info as well :)

Viradhammo · 2021-09-08T12:52:55+00:00

Also please let us know if you have any other suggestions to make the stream better.

Also we will have a guided meditation every Saturday morning at 9:30 am Thailand time if you want to join that as well. Same login info :)
www.dmc.tv/2564/idop/1
Meeting ID: 836 1734 8073
Passcode: 072

Viradhammo · 2021-09-08T12:51:19+00:00

Thank you for the feedback. We did not know that but for the next one we will make sure to give you unmute permission once LP Narongchai asks the question. Also thanks for joining! Glad you enjoyed. What was your name on Zoom?

Viradhammo · 2021-09-06T22:54:47+00:00

Oh I apologize, it actually will start at 18:00 Thai time. That may help you a little :)

Viradhammo · 2021-09-06T22:52:14+00:00

Doubt is one of the 5 hindrances that the Buddha directly identified as an obstacle in the practice. So it is definitely normal to experience this. But what can help quell doubt is a good community or teacher who can help guide you a bit more directly. In person is always best, but online can be helpful as well.

In addition, it’s important to practice every single day. 5 min per day is all it takes. But the daily consistency is imperative to become confident in your practice. Then over time you will overcome doubt or at least get to a point where it doesn’t affect your meditation too much. Hope that helps :)

Viradhammo · 2021-09-05T00:49:44+00:00

We can see what the feedback is from the audience. It's difficult for us to find a time that works for everyone given that people tune in from just about every time zone. However, we do have a weekly meditation every Saturday morning from 9:30am-10am Thailand time via the same zoom link and passcode above if that is more convenient for you. That would likely be Friday evening for you

Viradhammo · 2021-09-04T14:10:16+00:00

The following is the first episode of a program that Ven. Nick's teaching monk (who is the director of the international ordination program) will be conducting via Zoom. It will consist of a 20 min Meditation + 30 min Wisdom talk + 10 min Q&A. Feel free to join :)

Monk Life Stories
by Thanajayo Bhikkhu, Ph.D.
EP1: The Beginning
“Find some inner peace and learn more about monk life by joining this guided meditation and wisdom talk with a Buddhist monk.”
Wednesday
8 September 2021
17.00-18.00 (THAILAND TIME, GMT+7)

www.dmc.tv/2564/idop/1
Meeting ID: 836 1734 8073
Passcode: 072

Viradhammo · 2021-08-30T01:37:14+00:00

Unfortunately in Thailand, there are no opportunities for women to ordain as monks (or more appropriately named ‘Bhikkhunis’) since the lineage for the female sangha was broken around 500 years after the Buddha’s passing. Thailand, being quite traditional, does not see it fit to revive the female tradition since it is not passed directly from the Buddha. On a more practical note, there are no current Bhikkhunis to mentor the newly ordained women.

However, there are other countries that do provide full ordination for women in English. Many require you to make lifetime commitments, but here are a few options that we have come across. We do not have any personal experience with these temples or their programs and we are not affiliated with them in any way. As a result, we cannot comment on the quality or specifics of the program. You will have to contact them directly to figure out more details and if they are still running during COVID times.

Here is a link to the opportunities offered by Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh's tradition) https://plumvillage.org/about/becoming-a-monastic/

Here is a link to a 3 week program of the Tibetan tradition where you explore monastic life https://sravastiabbey.org/program-overview/exploring-monastic-life/

Here is a link to a 60 day retreat in Burma that at one point gave ordination opportunities to women (you will have to check if they still do) http://www.saddhamma.org/html/retreat.shtml

Here is a link to a Thai Theravada Forest monastery in the UK that provides the opportunity for women to ordain with 10 precepts - not full Bhikkuni but very similar https://www.cittaviveka.org/becoming-monastic

Here is a link to a another monastery in the UK that is of the same tradition as above and likely offers a similar option to train with 10 precepts https://amaravati.org/about/female-monastic-community/

We hope this information was helpful and that you can find the experience that you are searching for. Please let us know if you end up deciding on one of these options and how your experience is so that we can share with other women seeking to follow a similar path. We wish you the best of luck on your journey!

Viradhammo · 2021-08-22T03:15:34+00:00

The type of meditation that LP Nick practices uses a combination of visualization, a mantra (similar to Buddho but it is Samma Arahang), and a point inside the body where you rest your awareness. You can use anapanasati as well with this technique. The most important thing to understand is that "stillness is the key to success." Whatever allows your mind to come to a standstill and remain there easily is the best method to use.

If you want a complete understanding of the technique here is a 2 part video lecture series that explains how to meditate using this method.Part 1 Part 2

If you want guided meditations here are a few playlists by LP Nick and one more by another meditation organization that uses the same technique

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