Wat Pah Nanachat - Communication

[Wagner]

Greetings,

I'm planning to ordain at Wat Pah Nanachat. However, I have a problem to solve, and help would be immensely welcome.
I do intend to pass a long time at the monastic life, but this separation will be very painful for my family. I live in Brazil, where Theravada, to the best of my knowledge, is very, very weak. I don't wish to abandon ordination at Wat Pah Nanachat.
That being said, there is one very important information that I lack: as a monk, will it be possible to comunicate with my family while at Wat Pah Nanachat? If I could send letters to them in every one or two months, at least in the beginning, it would be a great help. But I don't know if the lay community would support this nor if my family could somehow help to pay the costs, if they wanted to.

Thank you.

[jcsuperstar]

probably so. i know of western forest monks in thailand (in the ajaan Mun lineage) who visit their parents in America from time to time (though it can be decades apart) and even monks form the ajahn Chah lineage who have email to send letters back home.

[appicchato]

It's perfectly acceptible to maintain open lines of communication with one's family after ordination...if any temple prohibits it I (personally) would consider ordaining elswhere...WPN included...wishing you well...

[gavesako]

In all the Western monasteries, one can keep in touch with one's family and go to visit them (in Europe it might be once a year or so) or have them visit the monastery (even better!). Most monks now use email, although in WPN and Thailand generally it is more restricted -- only phone and normal post would be allowed.

[Goedert]

This topic is helping me also.

Planning to ordain in WPN in two years.

Sadhu!

[Wagner]

Thank you very much for your answers.

There are two things I'd like to ask:

(1) I am unfamiliar with the support that the lay community is offering to the monasteries. Supposing that while at WPN I wish to (being allowed to) send a letter or phone to my family once each month or two, could it be problematic to actually get to do that? Would it be different in a Western monastery?

(2) Venerable, by your post could I assume that visiting one's family while at a WPN or other Thai monastery probably wouldn't be possible?

Thank you again.

[gavesako]

1) Once you are living in a monastery, all the funds that are offered are used for the benefit of the resident Sangha, so that would also cover the phone calls or letters.

2) When ordained in Thailand, usually they don't want you to leave for a few years, unless your parents are very ill or something like that. Junior monks under 5 rains (Vassa) are often only allowed to travel with a more senior monk. But in the West it is more relaxed, one can travel more freely.

[Wagner]

Thank you for the answer, Venerable Gavesako.

[Cittasanto]

If I remember correctly it is recommended that you get a prepaid international phone card as a gift from family, to use so that you can keep in touch, but isn't writing a letter more personal

[lawrence_barretti]

Hello Wagner,

My name is Lawrence Barretti and I am from São Paulo Brazil. I´m preparing myself to go forth as bhikkhu in the theravada tradition as well. I would like to talk to you about it, please send me an e-mail at lawrencebarretti@hotmail.com

Metta

Lawrence Barretti

[bodhitree]

Hi Wagner
I'm from China,I plan to ordain at Wat Pah Nanachat too. I will go to Wat Pah Nanachat in next month，hope to see you in wpn:tongue: I have wrote a letter to Guset Monk,but have not get reply. My English is poor,I am worry about my oral communication in wpn.

with metta

[Wagner]

Thank you for your answer, Manapa.

Lawrence, I sent you an e-mail, if it hasn't arrived PM me.

Bodhitree, I don't plan to ordain so soon. Also, I still need to decide the monastery. If you think your english could be problematic, I can only advice a good dose of study!

[Ben]

I wish you all well with your noble endeavours!

[cakka1]

As I understand the situation at Wat Pa Nanachat at the moment, postulants or pa khaou have some access to email, monastics can communicate by snail mail without restrictions. The monastery has a telephone and an email address in the event that a monk's family members need to get in touch with him in case of an emergency. With the permission of the abbot, monastics may phone family members for important matters.
Wat Pa Nanachat also has comfortable lodgings available for members of monks families who wish to visit them.
I remember years ago that Ajahn Jayasaro, a previous abbot, encouraging rather than discouraging Western monks from maintaining communications with their families. He said that wheras the problem for most Thai monks is that they tend to be too emotionally close to their families, the problem for Western monks tends to be the opposite.

I hope this helps. All the best for your monastic life!