Based on the experience of the venerable monks on this forum, how often does a sāmaṇera decide against taking upasampadā because he wishes to avoid participating in sanghakamma, accumulating vassas, holding a certain status (steering clear of all hierarchies, positions, and administrative duties), and dealing with so many vows (not needing to track the intricate nuances of the 227 Pātimokkha rules), and so forth—or a bhikkhu relinquish his status in favor of returning to sāmaṇera status for these same reasons? And is this considered normal or acceptable?
It is not very common but does exist. It is more common in India. Some might do it for medical reasons, to take their own food they need.
However, if you really knew about Vinaya, you would be afraid to be a sāmaṇera. The reason is that if you break any of the five precepts, you lose your pabbajjā, and you need to find your teacher and retake tisaraṇa and 10 precepts. For temporary ordination, this is best and preferred, if you want my opinion. I’m a fan of temporary ordinations, but not the temporary full ordinations when it is my decision. If it is not my decision, or responsibility, I’ll play along and help ordain them. We sort of have to if it is done at the monastery we live in. If the ordination is done properly, they are real monks, even if they only intend on 3 days (common in Myanmar).
Furthermore, you are bound to a teacher for life. On the contrary, it is very difficult to lose your bhikkhu ordination besides breaking the 4 pārājika.
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Can you guide us to where that is in the Pali?
Is there another way? Other than intentionally disrobing, that is.
While there will be some duties exclusively for monks, being a samanera doesn’t eliminate duties.
Here is the quote: It is automatic, and not a “choice” to expel the novice monk. I have fully researched this 20 years ago as part of the reason why I ordained twice. Although I wrongly focused on this topic rather than if some can ordain directly (he can), the subject and point stands with what I said. (And this was said by Bhante Ariyadhamma MahaThera 20 years ago).
mahāvaggapāḷi p119
anujānāmi, bhikkhave, dasahaṅgehi samannāgataṃ sāmaṇeraṃ nāsetuṃ.
“Monks, I allow a sāmaṇera endowed with ten qualities to be expelled.
pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, abrahmacārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, majjapāyī hoti, buddhassa avaṇṇaṃ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṃ bhāsati, saṅghassa avaṇṇaṃ bhāsati, micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, bhikkhunidūsako hoti – anujānāmi, bhikkhave, imehi dasahaṅgehi samannāgataṃ sāmaṇeraṃ nāsetunti.
He takes life, he takes what is not given, he engages in unchaste conduct, he speaks falsely, he drinks intoxicants, he speaks dispraise of the Buddha, he speaks dispraise of the Dhamma, he speaks dispraise of the Saṅgha, he holds wrong views, he corrupts bhikkhunīs – Monks, I allow a sāmaṇera endowed with these ten qualities to be expelled.”
- Mv.I.60 lists ten grounds for expelling a novice from his status as a
novice: He breaks any of his first five precepts; he speaks in dispraise of
the Buddha, Dhamma, or Saṅgha; he holds to wrong views (such things
as eternalism, fatalism, or annihilationism, says the Commentary); or he
rapes a bhikkhunī.The Commentary to Mv.I.60 states that a novice who breaks any of
his first five precepts has cut himself o from the Triple Refuge, from his
teacher, and from his right to a dwelling in a monastery. He is still a
novice, though, and if he sees the error of his ways and is determined to
restrain himself in the future, he may take the Triple Refuge from his
teacher again and so be restored to his former status.
It might easily be related to merely complaining about the texts, even complaining about the Abhidhamma or the future rules of vinaya that he is learning. Commentaries will count as Dhamma too. EBT and suttanta schools of the West can be dangerous for a novice.
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As for your next question: Yes there are other ways but too complex to mention and not related to sāmaṇeras.
Simply just removing the robes and dressing and acting like a lay person “does not disrobe you”. You have to fully disrobe a special way (but there are many ways and options. You can read about this in the BMC). However, a novice monk is automatically disrobed once he mentally and physically takes the form as a layperson. He puts on a T-Shirt and enjoys how it looks contemplating lay life. This is enough. That is why novice monks are instructed to bathe with a robe cloth (if you ever wondered why). We are getting a little technical here. It is best not to dive down this rabbit hole.
The main thing to know is related to my two original statements:
Sāmaṇeras usually have more work and duties than monks do. Why? They have fewer rules. They have to offer food, they have to pick flowers, they have duties to the teacher to clean his kuṭi, and they have many other duties as well. Besides being younger in age and definitely seniority, they have much learning to do. If they do something wrong with the remaining last five precepts (6-10), they have “daṇḍakamma” and have to carry water and sand or perform other chores. There are many duties of a novice monk, and like bhikkhunīs, they are by law always to be living with bhikkhus or nearby. They cannot have their freedom and autonomy.
Of course when I said disrobing, I meant renouncing the training, not the literal taking off of robes.
There are said cases of monks who want to disrobe.. they just change into lay clothes. They don’t follow procedure. They might post on facebook in writing. That does not count. They are still monks. There are several factors to disrobe.
- ordained monk has intention to disrobe and is sane.
- he verbally speaks any of the standard phrases.
- present tense grammar is used
- another human hears and understands is present
BMC has a whole chapter on disrobing.
If all of this is not done, then when the “improperly disrobed monk” has sexual activity, he becomes pārājika and can never ordain again. This is a standard teaching to bhikkhus about the dangers of not disrobing properly as part of standard preparatory education.
Of course when I said renounce the training, I meant follow the proper procedure for becoming not a monk. I didn’t think I would have to spell it out in detail.