Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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mikenz66
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by mikenz66 »

I've no idea of relative numbers, but one of my teachers (who is now back in his homeland of Bangladesh) ordained as a samanera in his teens, planning to just do a 3 month retreat, and decided to stay on.

:anjali:
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Zom
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Zom »

I think you will find it to be the case with most of the senior western monks who were under the tuterage of Ajahn Chah or who are connected with that grouping
I've heard Ajahn Sumedho mentioned that not many "senior monks" are still in robes. Only some are in robes. Others disrobed.
Though, I have no exact information on this account.
I don't think is really possible to be ready except in the most basic and practical sense. If you wait until you think you are ready you may be waiting an awful long time
No problem with that if you still keep practising Noble Eightfold Path. Nibbana is not something you can get just because you ordain ,)
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Mr Man
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Mr Man »

Zom wrote: I've heard Ajahn Sumedho mentioned that not many "senior monks" are still in robes. Only some are in robes. Others disrobed.
Though, I have no exact information on this account.
If they have disrobed they are no longer senior monks.
No problem with that if you still keep practising Noble Eightfold Path. Nibbana is not something you can get just because you ordain ,)
Of cause you can keep practicing. But I'm not personally convinced that continued practice as a layperson is necessarily going to put you in better position to live the monastic life, if that is one's aspiration.
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Zom
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Zom »

Of cause you can keep practicing. But I'm not personally convinced that continued practice as a layperson is necessarily going to put you in better position to live the monastic life, if that is one's aspiration.
In a proper time, possibly yes.
However, as suttas show, you can still keep practising at home even on anagami level.
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Bankei »

Goofaholix wrote:
ancientbuddhism wrote:This may be of interest with reference to the social dynamics of WPN.

What the Buddha Never Taught by Tim Ward
Worth a read as a reality check.
Yes, this is a great book and should be read by anyone contemplating going to WPN
-----------------------
Bankei
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Goofaholix
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Goofaholix »

Bankei wrote:Yes, this is a great book and should be read by anyone contemplating going to WPN
I wouldn't go that far, it shows what happens when somebody goes there missing the point of it all, but it is a good read and I think prepares people that might otherwise believe it's some kind of spiritual utopia there.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by appicchato »

Slightly off-topic but 'uncertain' has been mentioned several times...everything is uncertain (with the exception that our bodies in this life will wither and die...expect the unexpected...
abhishek_laser
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

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Goofaholix
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Goofaholix »

abhishek_laser wrote:Anyway I've come to a decision to spend 6 months in Wat Pah Nanachat and return back home. Then decide what future course I need to take afterwards. Just wanted to confirm whether such a short stay is allowed in Wat Pah Nanachat and also is to possible to communicate with them by any other means other than sending them a letter since it almost took 3 months to get a reply from them, this is not a practical way to inform them ahead of time, if I wish to stay there.
Six months is not too short a time, sometimes people stay there only a few days.

I think unless things have changed they really prefer to use snail mail, I think they probably believe that if people haven't the patience to organise ahead and wait for a letter they probably don't have the patience to practise there.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by abhishek_laser »

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ancientbuddhism
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by ancientbuddhism »

abhishek_laser wrote:What is going to happen if I just show up there without informing? Even though they may live in the slow world, we still live in the fast paced world and for the conditions to fall into place for us to get 6 months off is not easy and if you couple it with the snail mail it is going to make life very difficult for us.
WPN is like most wat-thai; people show up unannounced all the time. At WPN It would be best to arrive by 8:00 AM when the daily meal is underway, that way you will easily find the guest-monk (or whoever is filling-in) when the meal is over to introduce yourself. Whether you show up with or without a letter exchange has never mattered there.

Western men are usually expected to make some commitment to stay on for a protracted period as an 8 precept upāsaka toward anāgārika (pakhow) ordination within a week, or asked to move on. If you choose to stay, this means that you will have to shave your head (Tommy will do that for 10 bhat) and wear white clothing. Pack light, you won’t need to bring anything you can’t buy at the local market in Warin. It is really that simple.
I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.” – Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

Secure your own mask before assisting others. – NORTHWEST AIRLINES (Pre-Flight Instruction)

A Handful of Leaves
abhishek_laser
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by abhishek_laser »

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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by abhishek_laser »

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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by Goofaholix »

abhishek_laser wrote:Also, I would like to know the visa situation in Thailand.

Is there a longterm or permanent visa for monks, or is it that the monastery keeps renewing the visa for the monks.
Unless it's changed once you've got your monk id you get yearly visas and are supposed to report to immigration every 3 months, it may vary how strict they are about this and i suspect they'll only require it for junior monks.

http://www.thaivisa.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is a good resource on these kinds of questions.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
abhishek_laser
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Re: Ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat

Post by abhishek_laser »

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