Page 1 of 7

Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:28 pm
by abhishek_laser
a

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:36 pm
by Zom
Hello,

Alas, they won't give you an ordination without a permission. Nanachat is a very strict place to go. They won't give you ordination even with permission before you show yourself during a year or two.. or more.. ) During this period of testing you will have to wear white clothes and observe 8 precepts.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:11 pm
by Ytrog
Are they refusing permission or haven't you asked them yet?
They won't give you ordination even with permission before you show yourself during a year or two.. or more.. ) During this period of testing you will have to wear white clothes and observe 8 precepts.
Eight, ten or 227 rules don't really matter if you are able to maintain mindfulness and are cautious. You would still be living in a monastery. Of course the more rules allow you to keep your life decreasingly complicated, so it would be a nice step eventually. From ten rules you can't have money anymore and don't have to worry about such things either. ;)

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:23 am
by abhishek_laser
a

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:30 am
by retrofuturist
Greetings,
abhishek_laser wrote:But I've not been able to get my parent's permission for doing so.
I may be wrong but I don't think you need your parents permission to become a samanera.

8-)

Metta,
Retro. :)

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:24 am
by Bankei
Parental permission is not necessary.

One exception is if you threaten to burn down the monastery if the monks do not ordain you (seriously).
See the article
Crosby, Kate 2005 Only if you let go of that Tree: Ordination without Parental Consent according to Theravåda Vinaya. Buddhist Studies Review
available online.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:49 am
by Bhikkhu Pesala
I would say go and stay there anyway. For a young person who has already graduated or at least finished high school, one year out to reflect seriously on how they want to spend the rest of their life is not a long time. If, after one year, you decide that monastic life is not for you, at least you know what it entails, learnt something about meditation and the Dhamma, and gained some useful skills for lay life.

If you do find it is the right choice for you, by then your parents may have come around to accepting your choice. They may come out to visit you, and be happy to give their permission, or even participate by offering your monk's requisites, etc.

If they still don't agree, I guess there's still the "threaten to burn down the monastery" option :tantrum:

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:43 pm
by hermitwin
I know of a teenager in China who wanted to become a monk and his parents refused.
He went to the monastery anyway.
His parents brought him home and locked him in the house.
The moment they let him out he ran back to the monastery.
Again, the parents took him home.
After repeating this several times, the parents relented and he became a monk.

I have a hypothetical question ie. If your parents refuse permission and you threaten
to kill yourself. then your parents relent. Is this acceptable?

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:56 pm
by Alexei
hermitwin wrote:I have a hypothetical question ie. If your parents refuse permission and you threaten
to kill yourself. then your parents relent. Is this acceptable?
If you are going to commit suicide it's acceptable to hospitalize you against your will. At least in some countries. Check your local laws :)

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:17 pm
by Goofaholix
Have you stayed in a monastery as a layman before? If not you are thinking too far ahead.

I think you should have a 3 month retreat at Wat Pah Nanachat first, see how you like it. You'll have to leave the country to get a new visa anyway.

This might convince your parents you are serious and it's not a fad, or by talking to people there you might find out about monasteries closer to home that you want to check out, or you might find this life is not for you.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:09 pm
by Gena1480
you not alone in this, i have the same problem
and and writing a letter to the monastery.
and yes they put me in hospital against my will
so it does not work in new york.
parents specially mother will go to high extremes and use any lies to keep from going.
even treat of taking of they own life.
but i will outsmart them anyway.
learn what their weakness and strong points.
metta.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:36 pm
by Bankei
hermitwin wrote: .

I have a hypothetical question ie. If your parents refuse permission and you threaten
to kill yourself. then your parents relent. Is this acceptable?
It appears so according to the Theravada commentarial tradition.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:53 pm
by Goofaholix
Bankei wrote:
hermitwin wrote: .

I have a hypothetical question ie. If your parents refuse permission and you threaten
to kill yourself. then your parents relent. Is this acceptable?
It appears so according to the Theravada commentarial tradition.
Really? the commentaries suggest this? I'd have thought it was totally unethical.

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:08 am
by daverupa
Ratthapala found a solution praised by the Buddha.

AN 1.14:
"Ratthapala is foremost for going forth out of faith."

See also: this previous thread

Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:22 am
by Bankei
Bankei wrote:Parental permission is not necessary.

One exception is if you threaten to burn down the monastery if the monks do not ordain you (seriously).
See the article
Crosby, Kate 2005 Only if you let go of that Tree: Ordination without Parental Consent according to Theravåda Vinaya. Buddhist Studies Review
available online.
Here is the link
http://www.ukabs.org.uk/ukabs/wp-conten ... 2-2005.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is to the whole volume so is rather large.