I just returned back to my home country (Burma) for summer break. I have been planning to temporarily ordain since I was in the UK but now I feel an unstoppable urge to ordain (as long as I can), if it is permanent then it shall be.
My parents has given me permission, even if I permanently ordain. My grandparents, aunt and uncle also approve of me entering the Sasana.
I wanted to learn the Pitakas, commentaries and more, therefore, the monastery I am planning to ordain is a scholarly type; meaning it focuses on textual scholarship and learning over heavy meditation like forest monasteries.
If my decision to do so is good, please advise me.
I didn’t realize temporary ordination was an option like that. I know it is done but I thought it was for very specific circumstances only. Is it open to anyone to temporarily ordain?
It is very common in Myanmar.
Yes, foreigners can ordain, but they are often more “selective” when it comes to foreigners ordaining. (It used to be easy to do instant ordinations). Why the recent scrutiny? Getting to Myanmar and finding such places was often by word of mouth in the early 2000s and before that. If you landed in a monastery and wanted to ordain, it was pāramī.
However, now with the internet, it is easy for “anyone” to get to monasteries. Things have gone wrong due to the popular mixing of psychology and self-help with Buddhism. There are other problems with general perception of Buddhism.
It is a case-by-case evaluation. The shorter-term is easier to handle than longer-term. Usually now, they want to watch you for 3 months. Sāmaṇera ordination is easier as well.
Pa-Auk ordains foreigners.
I was recently asked to do short-term ordinations of foreigners at my place in Sri Lanka because our population is small this vassa. It might be possible, but I’d have to ask many personal questions to make a decision.
Generally, it is not so difficult. It is a rare opportunity. In Myanmar they give full upasampadā even for a few days or a week. It is common for locals to do this during the water festival period (April).
Only at corrupted monasteries. However, in Thailand, if you want a full upasampada (bhikkhu ordination), then you need special approved monks who can give you the ordination and you have to pay for them to come even though the monastery might actually be a good one. That is just the system they have in place.
For sāmaṇera ordination. You should never pay and avoid any such monastery that requires payment. You may however be required to provide your own robe and bowl. It depends on the monastery. However, most monasteries have surplus of robes and bowls.
Thailand Anton pa-auk charges money for lay people to stay. It is privately owned by a lay person and the costs are nominal for running the place. If you are a monk, you can stay for free.
Nobody really likes this, but it is owned by a lay person and that is the way it is.
Usually, the best you will get is 90/10. There are study monasteries and there are pariyatti monasteries. Even in commentary stories, The Buddha himself will say there are two duties one to choose from. Ven Cakkhupāla chose meditation because he was old.
cakkhupālattheravatthu
pabbajissāmevāhaṃ, tātāti tassa viravantasseva satthu santikaṃ gantvā pabbajjaṃ yācitvā laddhapabbajjūpasampado ācariyupajjhāyānaṃ santike pañca vassāni vasitvā vuṭṭhavasso pavāretvā satthāramupasaṅkamitvā vanditvā pucchi – ‘‘bhante, imasmiṃ sāsane kati dhurānī’’ti?
I will go forth, dear one!” As his brother was still lamenting, he went to the Teacher, requested and received ordination and higher ordination. He then resided with his preceptors and teachers for five years. After completing the rains retreat and performing the Pavāraṇā ceremony, he approached the Teacher, paid homage, and asked, “Venerable Sir, how many types of duties are there in this Dispensation?” ‘‘ganthadhuraṃ, vipassanādhuranti dveyeva dhurāni bhikkhū’’ti.
“Monk, there are only two types of duties: the duty of study (ganthadhura) and the duty of insight (vipassanādhura),” replied the Teacher. ‘‘katamaṃ pana, bhante, ganthadhuraṃ, katamaṃ vipassanādhura’’nti?
“But Venerable Sir, what is the duty of study, and what is the duty of insight?” he asked. ‘‘attano paññānurūpena ekaṃ vā dve vā nikāye sakalaṃ vā pana tepiṭakaṃ buddhavacanaṃ uggaṇhitvā tassa dhāraṇaṃ, kathanaṃ, vācananti idaṃ ganthadhuraṃ nāma, sallahukavuttino pana pantasenāsanābhiratassa attabhāve khayavayaṃ paṭṭhapetvā sātaccakiriyavasena vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhetvā arahattaggahaṇanti idaṃ vipassanādhuraṃ nāmā’’ti.
“Ganthadhura means to learn one or two Nikāyas, or even the entire Tipiṭaka of the Buddha’s word, according to one’s wisdom, and to memorize it, teach it, and recite it. As for vipassanādhura, it means for a bhikkhu of light living, who delights in secluded abodes, to establish the impermanence and dissolution in his own body, and to develop insight through continuous practice, thereby attaining Arahantship,” the Teacher explained. ‘‘bhante, ahaṃ mahallakakāle pabbajito ganthadhuraṃ pūretuṃ na sakkhissāmi, vipassanādhuraṃ pana pūressāmi, kammaṭṭhānaṃ me kathethā’’ti.
“Venerable Sir, I went forth late in life, so I will not be able to fulfill the duty of study. However, I will fulfill the duty of insight. Please teach me a meditation subject (kammaṭṭhāna),” he requested. athassa satthā yāva arahattaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathesi.
Then the Teacher taught him a meditation subject leading up to Arahantship.
The problem with doing a temporary ordination at a pariyatti monastery is that they are geared for monastic training and already in a program. You would have to check the timing of the curriculum to make it worth your while, or find an individual teacher to help you. Otherwise, you are joining a 2–5 year program at some random entry time. You would need to plan this out and get special attention. You also would NOT want to ordain at any pariyatti monastery because they are usually all weak in Vinaya. You do not want to be at such places. Normally, we say, “He is a pariyatti monk,” to also include the Vinaya standard. There are a few places to study and follow Vinaya in Myanmar. Pa-Auk has 2 or 3 pariyatti monasteries; the best is in Pyin Oo Lwin. Other monasteries: Varanasi Monastery in Mingaladon (Gorkha-Nepal monastery, Myanmar medium), Mahavihara Monastery in Hmawbyi, Dhammavinaya Monastery (location unknown to me). That list is pretty much it. So, do not ordain at a monastery without a proper Vinaya standard. Do it right the first time, even if it is just temporary.
