I was reading the chapter on proper conduct and it’s so good. There are a lot of instructions on how an ascetic should live properly. If one ordains and practices these instructions, then it will support them on their journey to Nibbana. The ascetic life is so much better than the household life because you get to practice these instructions, make merit and practice meditation to attain Jhana and Vipassana knowledges. The household life, on the other hand, is mostly just a life where most people enjoy sensual pleasures and commit bad kamma and some good kamma. I hope I can ordain soon.
Here is an excerpt.
“Well then, I’ll lay down the proper conduct for newly-arrived monks. When a newly-arrived monk enters a monastery, he should remove his sandals, hold them low, knock them together, and carry them along; he should lower his sunshade, uncover his head, and put his robe over his shoulders; he should then enter the monastery carefully and without hurry. As he enters the monastery, he should look out for where the resident monks gather— whether in the assembly hall, under a roof cover, or at the foot of a tree—and he should go there. He should then put down his bowl and robe, find a suitable seat, and sit down. He should ask which is the water for drinking and which the water for washing. If he needs water to drink, he may take some and drink. If he needs water to wash, he may take some and wash his feet. When he washes his feet, he should pour the water with one hand and wash with the other. He shouldn’t pour the water and wash his feet with the same hand. He should ask for a sandal-wiping cloth, and then wipe them. When he wipes his sandals, he should first wipe them with a dry cloth, then with a wet one. He should wash the cloth and spread it out.
If a resident monk is senior to him, the newly-arrived monk should bow down to him. If a resident monk is junior, he should bow down to the newly-arrived monk. The newly-arrived monk should ask which dwelling he may stay in and whether it’s occupied or not. He should ask about where to go for alms and where not to go, about any families designated as “in training”, about the place for defecating and the place for urinating, about the water for drinking and the water for washing, about walking sticks, and about the Sangha’s agreements concerning the right time to enter and the right time to leave.
If the dwelling is unoccupied, he should knock on the door, wait for a moment, then lift the latch, open the door, and look inside while standing outside.