That is true, Venerable Sir. And it’s also true that some monks who start young, start off well, but it doesn’t always end so well for them. Metaphorically, they are like King Charles XII of Sweden!
They need to emulate Venerables who have longevity in the Holy Life.
Renaldo
One of the most salient pieces of advice you should earnestly consider is to pursue celibacy as a layperson before entering into monastic life. When I speak of celibacy, I mean it in its fullest and most uncompromising sense — the unmitigated abstention from all forms of sexual activity or involvement.
Yes,
For me, it is hard to not feel lust. I have to guard my senses and put a lot of effort. I think it would be far easier in a forest monastery with no females.
I think it’s mentioned in the Mahaparinibbana sutta that it’s better not to see women.
Now I also understand why the Bodhisatta as an ascetic in the jatakas meditated on the Himalayas because it was far from sensual pleasures and distractions.
You can try living in a monastic or retreat environment where the sexes are separated. It will be far easier. But yes, start out as a lay person. It is required in most monasteries. I think the Galduwa tradition recently increased the total time for full ordination nearly to 2 years which increases the lay person and novice monk time. It is good in many ways, and bad in other ways.
Is this advice from the Buddha?
The Buddha created a complete lifestyle for monastics to support celibacy. Lay people should not think that their experience of trying to maintain celibacy in lay life will be reflective of their experience in monastic life.
My biggest reasons for wanting to become a monk is to be free from birth, aging, sickness and death. Reflecting on becoming old and sick as a lay man and lying down on a bed makes me want to escape that future, so I want to ordain and practice the path leading to the freedom from birth, aging, and death.
I found some inspirational pictures for renouncing the household life.
Not exactly. Lord Buddha did not impose a strict requirement of complete celibacy on laypeople. However, at the same time, he did not mandate engagement in relationships either. My advice was aimed at encouraging the avoidance of unnecessary attachments. Sexual involvement (not necessarily involving a partner) tends to create habitual patterns, and such habits, even when a person enters the monastic order, can continue to haunt and trouble him. A vivid example along the same lines of this is the widespread prevalence of smoking among Thai monks. Many cases of disrobing stem from lust. Training as a layperson to maintain balance can help one function more effectively within monastic life for those who intend to be ordained.
