Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
TheFarDwelling
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Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by TheFarDwelling »

I am a fifty year old man in excellent health with the permission of his family to go forth from the household life. I've begun the search for a place by visiting the major West Coast monasteries run by westerners such as Birken, Abhayagiri, and Wat Metta. Abhayagiri informed me I am too old to train with them. It's easy to sympathize with their reasoning. The average age of the monks there is already rather high. They don't want a large cohort of elderly monks to burden the monastery in the future. Wat Metta won't take older men nor will Temple monastery. I can see the Bhavana Society also has an age limit.

In asian countries it is common for even very old grandfathers to become monks because temples there are typically better funded and staffed than in America. Does anyone know of a place in the States where I can train as a Theravada monk? An asian monastery might take me but surely there is someplace I can go that doesn't involve putting tons of carbon in the atmosphere?

I trained as a postulant at Providence Zen Center twenty years ago but the sensuality of lay life proved too much of a draw and I left. I've spent long periods in monastery since. As my study of the Pali Canon deepened these past five years the drawbacks of lay life have become irrefutable. Damn me if it isn't true after all: nothing lasts, every aspect of life is unsatisfying, nothing belongs to me. It is impossible to arrange life so it is always nice. Not the love of a good woman nor a comfortable job nor a healthy, happy child can provide lasting happiness. The pursuit of pleasure leads to pain. Intellectual pursuits and culture are ultimately worthless. The fruits of my action may cause me to be reborn in a lower state of being. The Buddha has shown the direct path to the end of suffering and I must take it, now, before it really is too late.
User1249x
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by User1249x »

I hope you find a nice place to train, 50 is not old. It is very disappointing that so many declined.
Last edited by User1249x on Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dharmacorps
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by dharmacorps »

This has been discussed a few times here before, and it does seem like largely the best answer is to go to Asia to ordain and hopefully you can return to the States after a few years. Bhavana Society is a good option as well, but the only monks I know of there ordained in their 30s. :anjali:
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pilgrim
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by pilgrim »

TheFarDwelling wrote: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:05 pm An asian monastery might take me but surely there is someplace I can go that doesn't involve putting tons of carbon in the atmosphere?
This can't be a serious concern. With or without you, that flight will take off as scheduled and among the hundreds on board, what better reason for a person to fly?
paul
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by paul »

It is evident there are gaps between your expectations which are conditioned by the home life, and the realities that exist. Time needs to be spent travelling in order to gain a more robust perspective. Thailand is suggested, as the meditation monasteries in Sri Lanka also bar older candidates. There is an intermediate step between doing retreats in the home country and ordination, and that is doing retreats in Asian countries.
Baranek13
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Baranek13 »

You can try some monasteries in Europe (UK). I think most of them have the age limit around 50 although I know about 55 y.o. ordained in Amaravati and one person over sixty who ordained in Thailand.
Good Luck! :thumbsup:
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Zom
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Zom »

I know about 55 y.o. ordained in Amaravati
I doubt they took someone just "from the street" (unless he was a local lay buddhist whom they knew for a long time as a good buddhist and supporter). As far as I know everyone in Ajhan Chah monastery system must go through "Wat Pah Nanachat" training filter that is: 5 years as layman (anagarika) there, 2 years as samanera, and only after that they can gave you full ordination. And (again as I heard) they don't take someone who is 40 or older.
Baranek13
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Baranek13 »

Zom wrote: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:09 pm
I know about 55 y.o. ordained in Amaravati
I doubt they took someone just "from the street" (unless he was a local lay buddhist whom they knew for a long time as a good buddhist and supporter). As far as I know everyone in Ajhan Chah monastery system must go through "Wat Pah Nanachat" training filter that is: 5 years as layman (anagarika) there, 2 years as samanera, and only after that they can gave you full ordination. And (again as I heard) they don't take someone who is 40 or older.
Correction: 55y.o. starting training (Anagarika). As far as I know you need to live in monastery for some time, so community has a chance to know you. If accepted - anagarika training is usually one year but have seen one training for three years. Samaneras I am not sure, looks like some one, some two years or more. I think all is based on the individual circumstances.
I am talking about Amaravati only.
“You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can’t solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside. Knowing yourself is most important.”
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Zom wrote: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:09 pm [Wat Pah Nanachat" training filter that is: 5 years as layman (anagarika) there, 2 years as samanera, and only after that they can gave you full ordination. And (again as I heard) they don't take someone who is 40 or older.
No, that's not correct. When I was last there it was 6 months or a year as anagarika, then 1 year as a samanera, then full bhikkhu.
dharmacorps
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by dharmacorps »

Another resource I have heard of is Burma. Apparently for the older person wanting to ordain, or those with health issues, the Burmese are often more than glad to help-- particularly families or individuals will "sponsor" monks which eases the burden on the Sangha and earns big merit for the lay supporters. Never been there so I can't be sure of course but I have heard it more than a few times so it seems to me there is something to it.
Just another Bhikkhu
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Just another Bhikkhu »

If you change your mind about Asia you might want to try going to Pa Auk in Myanmar. You can get full ordination there in a few months. The place has a good enough reputation for you to be accepted in other monasteries in Thailand and Sri Lanka after you spend a few years training there. May you be able to live a good and benefitial life as a Samana.
Samana Johann 3
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Samana Johann 3 »

Of course one can not claim things, but those who invent and support "No-Dhamma-agreements", taking age as a measure to reject ordination to not only disrespect the Dhamma-Vinaya and producing faults by it, but accumulate a lot of bad kamma by doing such selfish (my Sangha, food, supporter) motivated actions of rejecting.
It should be not unseen, that the most advertiesing communities, most wealthy as well act in such ways to display certain unreal perfection, of what actually not is.

As for those asking, getting ordained, where and how ever, is always up to ones individually upanissaya and should not categorical be seen as unlucky if not able to join a certain community, obiviously with out much Upanissaya at this time.
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Zom
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Zom »

Of course one can not claim things, but those who invent and support "No-Dhamma-agreements", taking age as a measure to reject ordination to not only disrespect the Dhamma-Vinaya and producing faults by it, but accumulate a lot of bad kamma by doing such selfish (my Sangha, food, supporter) motivated actions of rejecting.
Well, those who established these rules had reasons to do that. Some of those are even mentioned by the Buddha himself, like, for example, in AN 5.60
eto
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by eto »

Just another Bhikkhu wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:33 am If you change your mind about Asia you might want to try going to Pa Auk in Myanmar. You can get full ordination there in a few months. The place has a good enough reputation for you to be accepted in other monasteries in Thailand and Sri Lanka after you spend a few years training there. May you be able to live a good and benefitial life as a Samana.
Yes, when I was there, there were a retired couple who had come to ordain. Wasn't a problem for the monastery.
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Dali348
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Re: Where can a 50 y/o man go to become a monk?

Post by Dali348 »

Not sure how helpful this is but personally I wouldn’t take the “requirements” as being written in stone. If you send them an email, they will most likely stick to the official policy, but if you show up, get to know them and prove yourself to them, I feel there is a pretty good chance they would make an exception. Perhaps not at every place, but certainly at some of them. If you have an opportunity to go and see for yourself, I would say go for it.

Have you looked into Forest Dhamma Monastery with Ajahn Dick?

https://forestdhamma.org/visit/
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