Buddhist Ordination

1. Buddhist Ordination

2. What is Ordination? • Ordination marks the process in which a member of the lay community becomes a member of the monastic community (Saṅgha). • The individual leaves the comforts of their home, family and friends and starts a religious life where they rely upon others for food, shelter and clothing.

3. Fully ordained monks in Thailand (2008).

4. The Renouncer Tradition • During the time of the Buddha there was a longstanding tradition of renouncing the lifestyle of a householder and becoming a homeless ascetic. • In the hagiography of the Buddha one of the four sights that spur him towards a religious life is an ascetic, and later on he is taught by a variety of renouncers. • This ‘renouncer’ (śramaṇa/ samaṇa) tradition is important in the development of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. • The term śramaṇacan be translated as ‘one who strives’.

5. The Renouncer Tradition • The ascetics, known as śramaṇas, would leave their roles within society and would wander homelessly relying on alms for food. • There was not a uniform type of practice for the śramaṇas. Some were solitary in their religious endeavours whilst others would follow a particular teachers. • The religious practices covered a number of activities. Some renouncers focusing on one particular element and others incorporating many. There were austere practices which could include fasting, being naked at all times, and inflicting pain upon themselves. Some would engage in meditation and philosophy in which they would attempt to discover the true nature of reality.

6. Renouncer Tradition and Buddhism • Those who joined the Buddha in his order engaged in a renouncer lifestyle. They were homeless and were reliant upon the support of wider community to provide them with material support including food and clothing.

7. Early Ordination • When the Buddha was alive ordination into the Saṅgha involved a request to the Buddha. The Buddha would accept by saying: ‘Come, monk. Well taught is the Dharma. Live the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering.’ Vinaya I. 17 Translation from Translation from Rupert Gethin, Foundations of Buddhism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), p87.

8. Developments within the Saṅgha • Some time after the Buddha died there was a division within the Saṅgha and differing schools of thought were developed. Each school developed their own monastic code, or vinaya. It is within the vinaya that the guidelines for ordination are set out. • In modern Buddhist practice there are three surviving vinayas: • Theravāda • Dharmaguptaka • Mūlasarvāstivāda

9. A fully ordained Theravāda monk (Laos, 2007). Theravāda monks follow the Theravāda vinaya which can be found within the Pali Canon.

10. The Dharmaguptaka vinaya is used by East Asian Buddhist traditions, especially those found in China, Japan and Korea. This photo is of a Chinese monk (Chengtian, China: 2008).

11. The Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya is used by Tibetan Buddhist schools of thought. (Bodh Gaya, India: 2010).

12. Joining the Saṅgha • As Buddhism developed renouncing, or ‘going forth’ and ordaining became two separate ceremonies. • Going forth (pravrajyā/ pabbajjā) is a ceremony where an individual becomes a novice (śramaṇera/ sāmaṇera). • Ordination (upasampadā) is a ceremony where a novice becomes a monk (bhikṣu/ bhikkhu) or nun (bhikṣuṇī/ bhikkhunī).

13. Theravāda Pravrajyā • The individual who wishes to become a novice formally requests a senior monk to become his teacher and preceptor. • The novice’s head is shaved • The novice puts on ochre robes. • The novice then recites the Three Refuges three times: I take refuge in the Buddha (Buddhamsaranamgacchami) I take refuge in the Dharma (Dhammamsaranamgacchami) I take refuge in the Saṅgha (Sanghamsaranamgacchami)

14. An ordination at a funeral in Laos (2007).

15. Theravāda Pravrajyā • After the novice has recited the refuge he takes the Ten Precepts • Refrain from harming living creatures • Refrain from taking what is not given • Refrain from sexual activity • Refrain from false speech • Refrain from intoxicants that cause heedlessness • Refrain from eating at the forbidden time • Refrain from attending entertainments, singing and dancing • Refrain from wearing perfumes, cosmetics and garlands • Refrain from sleeping in a high or luxurious bed • Refrain from accepting gold or silver

16. Theravāda Upasampadā • A novice can become a fully ordained bhikṣu at 20 years old. For someone over the age of twenty the pravrajyā and upasampadā can take place at the same time. • The ceremony requires the presence of at least five bhikṣus who have been ordained for at least ten years. • The novice is checked to see if he has his robes and alms bowl. • The novice is then sent outside the assembly and told about the thirteen obstructing factors to ordination. This serves as a practice when the novice is asked about them later. Once done he is sent back to the assembly.

17. Theravāda Upasampadā • A bhikṣuwill recite a formal motion asking to question the novice. • These questions are: 1. Do you suffer from leprosy? 2. Have you got boils? 3. Have you got eczema? 4. Have you got tuberculosis? 5. Do you get epilepsy? 6. Are you a human being? 7. Are you a man? 8. Are you a free man? 9. Are you free from government service? 10. Have you got your parents' permission to be ordained? 11. Have you a set of three robes and an alms bowl? 12. What is your name? 13. What is your preceptor's name?

18. Theravāda Upasampadā • After questioning another motion is presented before the gathered assembly of monks by bhikṣu who questioned the novice. In this motion he asks the monks to accept the novice into the Saṅgha. • The bhikṣu then gives the assembled monks three opportunities to speak out if they do not think the novice should be accepted into the Saṅgha. • When the third statement by the bhikṣu finishes the novice is a fully ordained bhikṣu.

19. Theravāda Upasampadā • At the end of theUpasampadāthe new bhikṣu is told that there are four resources (niśraya/ nissaya) that he can use for the four requisites:

20. After Ordination • Once ordained a member of the Saṅgha has to abide by the rules outlined within the vinaya. • Each vinaya follows the same structure. They are split into two areas which govern the life of the Saṅgha: • Prātimokṣa/pāṭimokkha- these are the rules that govern the lives monks and nuns. • Regulations covering acts of the Saṅgha as a whole such as performances of chants and ceremonies

21. Prātimokṣa • The prātimokṣa is an important part of the vinaya as it outlines how the Saṅgha should conduct themselves. The number of rules found within the prātimokṣa are not the same for each vinaya. • Theravādahas 227 • Dharmaguptakahas 250 • Mūlasarvāstivādahas 258

22. Prātimokṣa • The stuctureof the prātimokṣais similar for the vinayas that still survive. There are eight sections that can be found: • The four defeats (pārājika). These are four actions that result in automatic expulsion from the Saṅgha. They are sexual intercourse, taking what is not given, killing another being, false claims of spiritual attainments. • The saṃghāvaśeṣaswhich are thirteen actions that can be punished by a suspension from the Saṅgha. • Two rules about sexual activities.

23. Prātimokṣa • The niḥsargika (Pail: nissaggiya) rules which deal with inappropitate use of items. • The pāyantika (Pali: pācittiya) which are rules which cover speech, conduct around women and the requisites. • The prātideśanīya (Pali: pāṭidesaniya) which are four actions that require confesson. • The śaikṣa (Pali: sekhiya) which are minor training rules. • The final rules govern who disputes should be solved.

24. A note on nuns • The Buddha did allow the ordination of women after he was petitioned by Ānanda. This was at a price as the Buddha stated that the ordination of women would speed up the decline of the Dharma. • Nuns(bhikṣuṇīs) are, however, governed by more rules than monks. There are eight additional rules (garudhamma). • The only bhikṣuṇī ordination lineage that is found in modern Buddhist practice is within East Asian traditions that use the Dharmaguptaka vinaya. The lineages for Theravāda and Mūlasarvāstivāda have died out.

25. A note on nuns • There are, however, many women's movements in which the members will live according to the Ten Precepts or the Eight Precepts of a committed lay follower. • Although the lineages for Theravāda and Mūlasarvāstivāda have died out there have been, in recent years,movements to re-establish bhikṣuṇīs in both traditions.

26. In Myanmar there are women who shave their heads, receive alms and live by following the Ten Precepts. They wear pink robes and are known as thilashin. (Myanmar, 2009)