Our mind is the creator of our happiness and suffering, and our motivation
is the key to our actions and their results. Therefore, the motivation for
receiving monastic ordination is of great importance. When we reflect deeply
on the disadvantages of cyclic existence, the determination to free ourselves
from it and to attain liberation arises in our mind. The method to do that
is to practice the Three Higher Trainings: ethics, concentration, and wisdom.
To develop the wisdom that liberates us from cyclic existence, we must be
able to concentrate. Otherwise we will not be able to meditate on emptiness
in a sustained manner. Developing concentration requires us to subdue the
manifest disturbing attitudes in our mind. A firm foundation for doing this
is created by pacifying our gross verbal and physical actions motivated
by these disturbing attitudes. Ethics--living according to precepts--is
the method to harmonize our physical and verbal actions, and thus to subdue
the gross disturbing attitudes. Thinking that we can ignore our bad habits
and how they manifest in our daily life and yet still develop spiritual
realizations by meditating is erroneous.
Ethical discipline challenges us to live the Dharma in our daily interactions,
that is, to integrate what we experience in meditation into our relationships
with other people and with our environment. The Higher Training in Ethics
is developed by taking and keeping one of the various types of Pratimoksa
vows--the lay vow with five precepts or one of the monastic vows: the novice
vow (sramana/sramanerika) with ten precepts, or the full vow (bhikshu/bhikshuni).
For women, there is an intermediate ordination (shiksamana) between novice
and full ordination with six additional regulations. Because transmission
of the bhikshuni lineage did not occur in Tibet, women seeking this ordination
must go to Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese masters to request it.
Since there are different levels of ordination and each successive level
requires greater mindfulness and awareness due to the increased number of
precepts, it is advisable to progress gradually, rather than immediately
receiving the full ordination. In this way, we will be able to adjust to
the commitment required at each stage. Sometimes in people's enthusiasm
for the Dharma and for ordination, they quickly take full ordination. However,
experience has shown that this can prove difficult, and some people feel
overwhelmed. A gradual approach allows a solid foundation to be built and
sustained and joyful practice to ensue.
Ordination is easy to take, but difficult to keep. If we sincerely want
to remain as monastics our entire life, we must cultivate a strong motivation
before ordaining, and continuously develop it afterwards. Without thinking
deeply about the disadvantages of cyclic existence, our motivation to ordain
will be weak, and the precepts will seem like many '"'shoulds'"'
and '"'don'ts.'"' In that case, keeping the precepts will seem
burdensome. However, when we are aware of the preciousness and rarity of
this human life and our potential to attain higher spiritual states in order
to be of benefit to others, then living in accord with precepts is a joy.
In comparison, the happiness of family, career, relationships, and pleasure
are seen as unsatisfactory and our interest in them pales. We have a long-range
and noble spiritual goal, and this gives us the courage to go through the
ups and downs of life and of Dharma practice. Having this long-term goal
and stability in Dharma practice over a period of time enables us to keep
the ordination once we have taken it.
The disadvantages of cyclic existence are many: in addition to birth, sickness,
aging, and death, while alive we face not getting what we seek, being separated
from what we like, and encountering undesirable circumstances. All these
problems are caused by our internal disturbing attitudes and the actions
(karma) that they fuel. As a householder, we must do many things for the
sake of our family. We easily find ourselves in situations where we must
create negative karma by lying or cheating. We are surrounded by distractions:
the media, our career, and social obligations. It is easy for disturbing
attitudes to arise and more difficult to accumulate positive potential because
our lives are so busy with other things. We face the difficulty of finding
the right life partner and then the difficulty of making the relationship
last. At the beginning we have the problem of no children, and later the
problems of raising the children.
As a monastic, we have more freedom from such distractions and difficulties.
On the other hand, we also have great responsibility. We have decided to
be more aware and not to act according to whatever impulse arises in our
minds. Initially this may appear as a lack of freedom, but in fact such
awareness frees us from our bad habits and the difficulties they create.
We have voluntarily chosen to keep precepts, and so we must slow down, be
aware of our actions, and choose what we do and say wisely. If we have the
view that we can act counter to our precepts and then simply purify later,
it is like thinking we can drink poison now and take the antidote later.
Such an attitude or behavior hurts us.
However, we should not think that we are bad people when we are unable to
keep our precepts perfectly. The reason that we take precepts is because
our mind, speech, and actions are not subdued. If we were already perfect,
we would not need to take precepts. Therefore, we should do our best to
live according to the precepts, but when our disturbing attitudes are too
strong and the situation gets the better of us, we should not be discouraged
or criticize ourselves in an unhealthy way. Rather, we can apply the antidotes
to purify and restore our precepts, and make a determination for how we
aspire to act in the future. In that way we will learn from our mistakes
and become stronger practitioners.
As monastics, we represent the Three Jewels to others. People will be inspired
to or discouraged from learning and practicing the Dharma depending upon
our behavior. For example, if they see monastics who are kind to others
and are happy living ethically, they will try to do the same. If they see
monastics who act brashly and loudly or manipulate others to get what they
want, they may lose faith in the Dharma. When we cherish the Three Jewels
and cherish other beings, then acting responsibly for their benefit is a
joy. During those times that our disturbing attitudes are strong and we
seek our own immediate happiness and benefit, we see precepts as burdensome
and oppressive. At those times, it is important to cultivate anew our motivation
for becoming monastics and remember that living according to the precepts
benefits ourselves and others.
If we become a monastic with strong conviction in the path to liberation,
willingness to persevere and to face our problems, confidence in our potential,
and patience with ourselves and others, we will be able to live as monastics
happily and for a long time. However, if we wish to ordain because we have
a romantic idea of living a holy life, or seek an easy way out of our personal
or financial problems, we will be unhappy as a monastic because what we
seek will not actualized. By understanding what a crucial role our mind
plays in keeping ordination, we see that keeping the Pratimoksa (individual
liberation) precepts makes not only our words and deeds peaceful, but our
mind calm as well.
Joining the Sangha Community
Ordination is not only about living ethically, it is about being a member
of a special community, the Buddhist sangha, the monastics upholding the
precepts and principals established by the Buddha. This is a virtuous community
of people who practice the Buddha's teachings and assist others in taking
refuge. As members of the sangha we focus on developing four special qualities:
1. When someone harms us, we try not to respond with harm;
2. When someone is angry with us, we try not to react with anger;
3. When someone insults or criticizes us, we try not to reply with insult
or criticism;
4. When someone abuses or beats us, we try not to retaliate.
This is the behavior a monastic should try to develop. The root of these
is compassion. Thus the main quality of the spiritual community stems from
compassion.
The Buddha's ultimate goal for establishing the sangha is for people to
attain liberation and enlightenment. The manifest goal is to create a harmonious
community that enables its members to progress along the path. The Vinaya
Pitaka says that this community should work at being:
1. physically harmonious: we live together peacefully;
2. harmonious in communication: there are few arguments and disputes, and
when they occur, we remedy them;
3. mentally harmonious: we appreciate and support each other;
4. harmonious in the precepts: we have a similar lifestyle and live according
to the same precepts;
5. harmonious in views: we share similar beliefs;
6. harmonious in welfare: we equally use and enjoy what is given to the
community.
These are the ideal circumstances we aspire and work towards in our life
together as a community.
The Current Situation of Western Monastics in the Tibetan Tradition
The Buddha said that the ordaining master should care for the disciples
like a parent for a child, helping to provide requisites for daily sustenance,
as well as Dharma teachings. However, due to various factors, one of which
is that the Tibetans are a refugee community, this is not what generally
occurs for Westerners who ordain. It is important to be aware of this before
ordaining, because Westerners face particular challenges in living as monastics.
If, before ordination, we are aware of the challenges we may face after
it, we will be better equipped to prevent or resolve the difficulties that
may arise.
At present there are few established monastic communities in the West. Thus
we often do not have a community to live with, or we live in a center with
lay people, perhaps with one or two other monastics, or in a mixed community
of monks and nuns. We are often expected to provide for ourselves financially.
This adds strain to ordained life, for if one has to put on lay clothes
and work at a job in the city with non-Buddhist people, one may lose the
motivation and vision of ordination. Thus, it is advisable before ordaining
to clear all financial debts we may have and to seek a benefactor or other
means of support. In terms of education, often there is little guidance
or training on how to live as a monastic, and many of us must generate our
own program of study, develop friendships over long distances with other
monastics, and be responsible for ourselves. Thus, before ordaining it is
wise to establish a good relationship with a spiritual mentor who will guide
us and to find conducive circumstances where we can live and receive the
monastic training and Dharma education that we need.
In the monastic communities in Asia, we are separated from Asian monastics
by culture, language, manners, and habits. It is difficult to live in Tibetan
monasteries because they are often over-crowded, and Westerners face visa
problems and illness. Living in Western Dharma centers, we are often expected
to work long hours to serve our teachers and the public. While doing this
is beneficial, we need to have a balance between service, study, and practice.
If we do not live in a community with other monastics, there is sometimes
the difficulty of loneliness. If we become too close emotionally with lay
practitioners, there is danger that we become distracted and lose our purpose
as monastics. Thus, we are challenged to acknowledge and learn to work with
our emotions. Western society often sees monastics of any tradition as parasites
because they do not produce anything. We must have a strong mind and clear
goals in order to prevent unnecessary doubt from arising when we encounter
others' lack of understanding of the purpose of monastic life.
The Benefits of Ordination
The guidelines our precepts provide have great meaning when we devote ourselves
to practice rather than having only an intellectual or casual interest in
Buddhism. As monastics, our simplified lifestyle enables us to be content
with little and gives us the time to develop our practice in a deep and
committed way. We will become more mindful and restrain ourselves from getting
caught up or going astray by following our endless wants and desires. We
will develop greater awareness of ourselves and others; we will have a method
to deal with our problems and will no longer be obliged to react strongly
to things for which we have aversion. Rather than acting on impulse, mindfulness
of our precepts will help us to check first before engaging in an action.
We will develop greater tolerance, will not get emotionally entangled in
unhealthy relationships, and will be of greater assistance to others. People
become calmer, healthier, and more content by living in the conducive circumstances
that precepts create. By living according to the precepts, we will become
an ethical and trustworthy person and thus become stronger and more confident.
Maintaining our precepts enables us to purify stores of negative karma and
to create great positive potential (merit). This acts as a basis for obtaining
higher rebirths in the future so that we can continue to practice the Dharma
and finally attain liberation and enlightenment. Living in precepts will
protect us from harm, and through our subdued behavior, the place where
we live will become more peaceful and prosperous. We will become an example
of individuals who are content with little and of a community that can work
together and resolve its problems in a healthy way. Our mind will be peaceful
and calm; we will no longer be propelled by our bad habits; and distractions
in meditation will arise less often. We will get along better with others.
In future lives, we will meet the Buddha's teachings and conducive circumstances
for practice, and we will be born as a disciple of Maitreya Buddha.
Living in accord with the precepts directly contributes to world peace.
For example, when we abandon killing, all living beings who contact us can
feel secure. When we abandon stealing, everyone around us can relax and
not fear for their possessions. Living in celibacy, we relate to others
more honestly, free from the subtle and not-so-subtle games between people.
Others can trust us when we are committed to speaking truthfully. In this
way, each precept influences not only ourselves, but also those with whom
we share this world.
In the Lamrim Chenmo, the Higher Training in Ethics is described
as the stairway to all other virtuous practices. It is the banner of all
Dharma practice, the destroyer of all negative actions and unfortunate rebirths.
It is the medicine which cures the disease of harmful actions, the food
to eat while traveling the difficult road in samsara, the weapon to destroy
the enemy of the disturbing attitudes, and the foundation for all positive
qualities.
