Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
ricosadao
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Re: Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?

Post by ricosadao »

SarathW wrote: Mon Sep 03, 2018 1:11 am Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?
When I think about becoming a monk I have the following fear.
- Who will provide me the food?
- Who will provide me the shelter
- Who will provide the medicine
- Who will look after me when I am sick

I wonder whether many monks have this anxiety too.
Monasteries (and their lay supporters) will provide all of the above
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StormBorn
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Re: Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?

Post by StormBorn »

ricosadao wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:58 pm
SarathW wrote: Mon Sep 03, 2018 1:11 am Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?
When I think about becoming a monk I have the following fear.
- Who will provide me the food?
- Who will provide me the shelter
- Who will provide the medicine
- Who will look after me when I am sick

I wonder whether many monks have this anxiety too.
Monasteries (and their lay supporters) will provide all of the above
Some monks/monasteries might place a great deal of time and effort (from the word go) in making and maintaining a considerable pool of lay supporters (one of my such experience here), but I think what SarathW was referring to the types of monks/monasteries of the opposite type.

Once I asked one such monk, "Isn't it dangerous to live independently without having any quick help in-case of a sickness." And he replied, "Yes it is. But letting go of the need to live, the feelings of 'security' along with 'dependency' will take one far on the path."

Later he told me, once he lived in a very hot area. The hut happens to be on a rock too. Due to the heat, he got a very severe migraine and he was too weak after too much vomiting and unable to go to the village alms for 3 days. The villagers being poor and with not much faith didn't bother about why the monk not coming to collect food. So the monk (that time not even reached the age thirty) thought, "OK this is it. Since having no duties to fulfil, no particular person to inform, I will pass away like this." However, another monk visited him on the fourth day to clarify some vinaya matter and provided him food.

Now, surely I don't have the luxury of such a freedom of getting ready to die in such a short notice! :shock:
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
TRobinson465
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Re: Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?

Post by TRobinson465 »

I dont think so. I dont think anybody becomes a monk without checking out where they are ordaining first. You need existing monks to become a monk because they have to ordain you, so someone was feeding the monks who ordained you.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
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StormBorn
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Re: Do you have to have the death wish to become a monk?

Post by StormBorn »

One can check as far as one can check, yet the impression as a layperson might change after one become a monk because of the exposure to the inner works of the community. Some monks leave the teacher/monasteries for varying reasons and might even live totally alone (happened in the Buddha's time too).
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
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