Monastic Ordination Resources

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Huseng
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Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by Huseng »

Here is a list of Buddhist monastic organizations that accept Western applicants for monastic training. Many of these organizations have quite lengthy and involved application and training guidelines, where the pre-ordination and novice ordination process can last up to 5 years before full ordination is given. This process offers plenty of time for both the applicant and the senior monastics to assess the mental fitness and aptitude of the candidate.

Dharmaguptaka:

Dharma Realm Buddhist Association

Dharma Drum Retreat Center

Pagoda Phat Hue


Mūlasarvāstivāda:

Sravasti Abbey

Gampo Abbey

Samye Ling

Nalanda Monastery


Theravāda:

Monasteries associated with Ajahn Chah

Metta Forest Monastery

Bhavana Society


(While the Theravāda tradition does have teachings on the bodhisattva path, a Theravāda monastery might not accept Mahāyāna sūtras as authoritative teachings.)
Yudron
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by Yudron »

Some Articles about being a nun in the Tibetan tradition, collected by Ven. Thubten Chodron:

http://www.thubtenchodron.org/BuddhistN ... index.html
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Sara H
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by Sara H »

Observing your mind is a good idea.
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

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Huifeng
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by Huifeng »

plwk wrote:
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Very nice little summary of the situation in Taiwan these days.

One small point, however, @ 5:16 “Another was Śāriputra’s own son, Kunti, who became a novice…”

Sorry, Venerable, but Kunti 均提, was the son of another Brahmin, who became Śāriputra’s novice disciple.

See: 《賢愚經》卷13〈62 沙彌均提品〉:「舍利弗言:「我無沙彌,聞卿有子,當用見與。」婆羅門言:「我有一子字曰均提,年既孩幼,不任使令。比前長大,當用相與。」」(CBETA, T04, no. 202, p. 444, c4-6)

And FGBD: 均提 梵名Kunti 。(一)指均提沙彌。印度婆羅門之子,七歲出家,舍利弗攜之至祇洹,漸為說法,使證得阿羅漢。彼既得道,為感師恩,終身作沙彌,以供給所需。〔賢愚經卷十 etc.

~~ Huifeng
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

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plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

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So, you want to be a Bhikshuni?
Bhikshuni Heng-Ching from Taiwan, the co-editor of "Sisters in Solitude" responded to the question "what should one reflect on when checking to see if one has the correct motivation to take Bhikshuni ordination?", and she gave a very succinct and inspiring response
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

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U.S., European Buddhist nuns ordained in Taiwan
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

phpBB [video]
Yudron
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by Yudron »

plwk wrote:
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So, you want to be a Bhikshuni?[/url]
Bhikshuni Heng-Ching from Taiwan, the co-editor of "Sisters in Solitude" responded to the question "what should one reflect on when checking to see if one has the correct motivation to take Bhikshuni ordination?", and she gave a very succinct and inspiring response
I notice that book about female ordination is available for Nook e-book readers on Barnes and Noble's website for $30.
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

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A film by Liang Bibo. The credits are at the end of the film. The film is put up by kind permission of Liang Bibo, a distinguished Chinese documentary film maker who works for Chengdu Television. Made in the later 1990s. There are twenty nuns living in the Fuhu temple practising Buddhism. For further information, please contact Alan Macfarlane at [email protected]
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

Image
Preview available here , here & here
plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

Sample noon meal liturgy format (format may vary in various Chinese monasteries)
供養清淨法身毘盧遮那佛 gōng yǎng qīng jìng fǎ shēn pí lú zhē nà fó
An offering to the Pure Dharma Body, Vairocana Buddha,
圓滿報身盧舍那佛 yuán mǎn bào shēn lú shě nà fó
Perfect Reward Body, Nishyanda Buddha
千百億化身釋迦牟尼佛 qiān bǎi yì huà shēn shì jiā móu ní fó
Myriad Transformation Body, Sakyamuni Buddha,
極樂世界阿彌陀佛 jí lè shì jiè ē mí tuó fó
One of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, Amitabha Buddha,
當來下生彌勒尊佛 dāng lái xià shēng mí lè zūn fó
Future Arriving, Anticipated Next Birth, Maitreya, Honoured Buddha,
十方三世一切諸佛 shí fāng sān shì yí qiè zhū fó
Tenfold Directions and Three Periods of Time Honoured Buddhas,
大智文殊師利菩薩 dà zhì wén shū shī lì pú sà
Great Wisdom Manjusri Bodhisattva,
大行普賢菩薩 dà háng pǔ xián pú sà
Great Conduct Samantabhadra Bodhisattva,
大悲觀世音菩薩 dà bēi guān shì yīn pú sà
Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva,
大願地藏王菩薩 dà yuàn dì zàng wáng pú sà
Great Vows Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva,
諸尊菩薩摩訶薩 zhū zūn pú sà mó hē sà
All Honoured Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas,
摩訶般若波羅蜜 mó hē bān ruò bō luó mì
The Great Perfection of Wisdom

三德六味供佛及僧 sān dé liù wèi gōng fó jí sēng
The Three Virtues and Six Flavours*, offered to the Buddha and Sangha,
法界有情普同供養 fǎ jiè yǒu qíng pǔ tóng gōng yǎng
To all in the Dharma Realm, this universal offering is rendered.
若飯食時當願眾生 ruò fàn shí shí dāng yuàn zhòng shēng
With this meal before us, vowing for all sentient beings,
禪悅為食法喜充滿 chán yuè wèi shí fǎ xǐ chōng mǎn
May dhyana bliss be their food, and Dharma's joy be their fill.
[* The Three Virtues (soft, clean and correctly prepared) and Six Flavours ( bitter, sour, sweet, spicy, salty or mild)]

Verse of Mindfulness (By the Presiding Master)
佛制弟子食存五觀 fó zhì dì zǐ shí cún wǔ guān
Disciples of the Buddha, observe the Five Contemplations while taking meals.
散心雜話信施難消 sàn xīn zá huà xìn shī nán xiāo
With confused mind and idle talk, can one be worthy of devotees’ offerings?
大眾聞磬聲各正念 dà zhòng wén qìng shēng gè zhèng niàn
O Great Assembly! At the bell's sound, be mindful!
All: 阿彌陀佛! ē mí tuó fó! Amitabha Buddha!

三念 , 五觀 sān niàn, wǔ guān :
The Three Recollections & Five Contemplations

佛教講求向內諦觀,不尚相外馳求。盼在行住坐臥之間,都不離修行之道。所以在用餐之時,也要心存有三念五觀﹕
fó jiào jiǎng qiú xiàng nèi dì guān, bú shàng xiāng wài chí qiú, pàn zài xíng zhù zuò wò zhī jiān, dōu bù lí xiū xíng zhī dào. suǒ yǐ zài yòng cān zhī shí, yě yào xīn cún yǒu sān niàn wǔ guān
In Buddhism, we emphasize on inner contemplation rather than outward pursuit. The wish is to cultivate in all aspects of daily life and not to be away from cultivation even for a moment.
Therefore, while eating, the cultivator should have the following three recollections and five contemplations:

初匙﹕願斷一切惡 chū chí: yuàn duàn yí qiè ě
First spoon/morsel: I vow to cut off all evil/delusion
二匙﹕願修一切善 èr chí: yuàn xiū yí qiè shàn
Second spoon/morsel: I vow to cultivate all goodness
三匙﹕誓度一切眾生 sān chí: shì dù yí qiè zhòng shēng
Third spoon/morsel: I vow to save all sentient beings

計功多少量彼來處 jì gōng duō shǎo liàng bǐ lái chù
The labour involved in producing food for consumption
忖己德行全缺應供 cǔn jǐ dé xíng quán quē yīng gōng
Reflect upon sufficiency of one’s own virtue to receive the offering.
防心離過貪等為宗 fang xīn lí guò tān děng wéi zōng
Guarding one's mind from trespasses, greed being its chief
正視良藥為療形枯 zhèng shì liáng yào wéi liáo xíng kū
Acceptably consumed, food likened to medicine, preserves the body
為成道業應受此食 wèi chéng dào yè yīng shòu cǐ shí
Food consumed is solely for consummating the Path

Meal Conclusion:
Maha Cundi Mantra, Transference of Merits Reflection & Refuge

薩多喃三藐三菩陀俱胝喃怛胝他 sà duō nán sān miǎo sān pú tuó jù zhī nán dá zhī tā
saptānāṁ samyak-saṁbuddha koṭināṁ tad-yathā
Seven million of Rightly Perfectly Enlightened Ones, Thus it is:
唵折利主利準提薩婆訶 ǎn zhé lì zhǔ lì zhǔn tí sà pó hē
oṁ cale cule cundi svāhā
Om Awake, Arise, Purity, May it be!

所謂布施者必獲其利益 suǒ wèi bù shī zhě bì huò qí lì yì
Who practices making offerings, reward is their certainty,
若為樂故施後必得安樂 ruò wèi lè gù shī hòu bì dé ān lè
Who delights in giving, peace and happiness is their surety,
飯食已訖當願眾生 fàn shí yǐ qì dāng yuàn zhòng shēng
Concluded is this meal, vowing for all sentient beings,
所作皆辦俱諸佛法 suǒ zuò jiē bàn jù zhū fó fǎ
May all be successful, exemplary in the Buddha Dharma!

Recite whilst returning back to Main Shrine or silently if alone:
南無本師釋迦牟尼佛 nán wú běn shī shì jiā móu ní fó
Namo Original Teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha!

三皈依 sān guī yī (The Three Refuges)
自皈依佛, 當願眾生, 體解大道, 發無上心 zì guī yī fó, dāng yuàn zhòng shēng, tǐ jiě dà dào, fā wú shàng xīn
I take refuge in the Buddha, vowing that all sentient beings, shall realize the Great Path and aspire to the Supreme State of Mind.

自皈依法, 當願眾生, 深入經藏, 智慧如海 zì guī yī fǎ, dāng yuàn zhòng shēng, shēn rù jīng cáng, zhì huì rú hǎi
I take refuge in the Dharma, vowing that all sentient beings, shall deeply enter the Sutra Pitaka, and attain oceanlike wisdom.

自皈依僧, 當願眾生, 統理大眾, 一切無礙 zì guī yī sēng, dāng yuàn zhòng shēng, tǒng lǐ dà zhòng, yí qiè wú ài
I take refuge in the Sangha, vowing that all sentient beings, shall lead the Community, in harmony without any hindrance.

Recite whilst leaving the Main Shrine or silently if alone:
南無本師釋迦牟尼佛 nán wú běn shī shì jiā móu ní fó Namo Original Teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha!
Videos: General Chinese Mahayana monastic meal liturgy & order: (Shown in videos are scenarios of monastics only dining and monastics & laity dining, apologies for no English subtitles)
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plwk
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by plwk »

Vietnamese Buddhist Ordinations:
At Pagoda Phat Hue: 1
At Bodhgaya: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
JKhedrup
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Re: Monastic Ordination Resources

Post by JKhedrup »

IMI, an organization within the Gelugpa FPMT tradition that helps to organize study, service and retreat opportunities for ordained Sangha.

http://imisangha.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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