Temporary ordination as a long-term Samanera in Pa-Auk/Na-Uyana

Is it possible to be ordained as a long-term temporary Samanera (1 year or more) just to simplify visa issues and other benefits for monks? In this case, before ordination, is it still necessary to give up all possessions and money?

You can talk to pa-auk teachers about it. They have temporary ordinations. I have asked how it is done since 1 day or 1000 days is the same. I myself, have given a short term ordination and needed to know. The teacher said that it is best to give up everything to the parents. If that cannot be done you can make a determination that you will not use it. Technically a bank account makes the bank the owner or something like that. And that is why banks are often called “Bank and Trust”, because you trust them. However, this is all technicalities. You can give to your parents if not too much and complex. But there is a technicality you can use. You can decide and also speak with the teachers there about it. They definitely give short term ordinations.

However, I recently spoke to a friend and he said that nobody new is coming into Pyin Oo Lwin. The last patimokkha was just over 100. The population has been slowly declining since nobody new (or very few) are allowed in.

I asked ChatGPT4o…

A bank account is technically owned by the bank, not the account holder. When you deposit money into a bank account, you are essentially giving the bank your money in trust under a contractual agreement. This means:

  • The bank becomes the legal owner of the money you deposit.
  • The bank owes you a debt of the deposited amount, which they must repay upon request (subject to withdrawal limits, account terms, etc.).
  • The account holder has a claim to withdraw or use the funds according to the terms agreed upon.
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Thank you so much for the excellent response, Bhante! That tip about bank money is incredible. I had never thought about it from that perspective before. I asked about this because I noticed that a samanera essentially has the same legal benefits as a monk, which makes things much easier.
It’s a shame that Pa-Auk is no longer accessible; it must be due to the civil war. I’m really hoping that things will improve someday.

I think it is because Sayadaw U Canidma is not there, and he wants to keep things running smoothly with monks he knows. This is also true for local monks not coming in too. There are other branches you can go to. For instance the main branch should be okay. There are many branches. You can also look into Indonesia with the specific teacher U Kondañño. He is an undiscovered teacher and I know all about his practice.

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Thank you mentioning him, Venerable Sir. If I ever go to Indonesia, I will try to meditate under his guidance.