Stream-Entry/ordination/cancer

[M.G.A.]

Dear everyone,

I have been a member here for a very long time, but also a very quiet one indeed! Now I am having some personal problems and figured that maybe someone here might be able to give me some guidance. If that is the case I am sincerely grateful!

Since a longer retreat at Nissarana Vanaya in Sri Lanka I have been having the intention to ordain. However mainly some student loans have been holding me back. My main idea have been to repay them asap, and then go for ordination, maybe in Australia. Unfortunately however I just found out I had a brain tumour, and and at the moment I am having radiation- and chemotheraphy. I am having some troubles with walking, and am experiencing double vision, (if I don't cover one of my eyes,) as a side effect of the surgery. So if you are thinking about ordination and at the same time telling yourself that it isn't any rush, well, maybe...!

First of all I have to go through all these treatments, and at this point I am not certain about my future prognosis, but the samvega to reach Stream-Entry has almost never been greater. As I see it it is very crucial that I enter the stream asap, and I am wondering if anyone have any suggestions on how to?

Depending on the nearest future different options would of course be more or less attractive, but I was hoping that maybe already now you could, if it is not a burden for you, give me some advice on a good place for me to ordain (as a samanera, or maybe even a bhikkhu depending on my future health.) Would you suggest a place in the west (I'm a Swedish citizen) or in Asia Etc... Any help/support would be much very much appreciated!!

My very best regards! Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Mikael

[Clarence]

I am very sorry. I can't give you advice but I wish you all the best. I hope you recover soon and fully and become a Bhikkhu and enter the stream in this life.

[Zom]

First of all I have to go through all these treatments, and at this point I am not certain about my future prognosis, but the samvega to reach Stream-Entry has almost never been greater. As I see it it is very crucial that I enter the stream asap, and I am wondering if anyone have any suggestions on how to?

Consider these 10 short suttas from SN 25 Samyutta very carefully:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... ml#okkanta

[Paññāsikhara]

Dear Mikael,

Unfortunately, I too cannot suggest any particular place.
But I just wanted to say that I support you in your decision,
and hope that your path is smooth!

All the best!

~~ Huifeng

[Khalil Bodhi]

Hi Mikael,

I wish I knew of somewhere to tell you but I don't. You might try asking Ven. Gavesako or Ven. Pesala what they think. I just want to offer you my support and admiration and please do let me know if you need anything. Anumodana for your noble aditthana and I wish you all the best. Mettaya.

Mike (Khalil Bodhi)

[Moth]

Abhayagiri is nice, in California. You could also try Nanananda Thera's monestary in Sri Lanka. Nanavira Thera's Notes on Dhamma might also be helpful.

[M.G.A.]

Thanks for your time, support and friendliness my dear friends! Has anyone visited Muttodaya in Germany? How is that place? Do you know anything about style of practise? Etc. The place certainly looks great to me!

Metta!

[Cittasanto]

Every group is different, some (as you may remember) require a period of anagarika training, others may not! it all depends on the place, and if they have a Preceptor there.

your health problems may/will also be a concern for a preceptor, as there are 10 sicknesses one can not ordain as a Bhikkhu for [edit - this list is not exactly exhaustive if you bare in mind the great standard] and this would also carry for a samanera in some peoples eyes, just the same as some will ordain someone who had committed a parajika as a samanera while others wont.

practice now, don't worry about the form you are in (lay or ordained) just practice, straighten your view, and practice in line with reality!
it will be for your benefit in the long run.

[Khalil Bodhi]

Every group is different, some (as you may remember) require a period of anagarika training, others may not! it all depends on the place, and if they have a Preceptor there.

your health problems may/will also be a concern for a preceptor, as there are 10 sicknesses one can not ordain as a Bhikkhu for and this would also carry for a samanera in some peoples eyes, just the same as some will ordain someone who had committed a parajika as a samanera while others wont.

practice now, don't worry about the form you are in (lay or ordained) just practice, straighten your view, and practice in line with reality!
it will be for your benefit in the long run.

[manas]

First of all I have to go through all these treatments, and at this point I am not certain about my future prognosis, but the samvega to reach Stream-Entry has almost never been greater. As I see it it is very crucial that I enter the stream asap, and I am wondering if anyone have any suggestions on how to?

The colour of your mind matters much more than the colour of your clothing. Don't let this (admittedly noble) aspiration to ordain become a distraction or worse still, a worry, that takes energy away from what really matters. If you rush around trying to find some place where you can get into robes, you might run out of time to practise in the way you now still can. Right now you can walk, stand, sit and lie down. Take advantage of this. practice mindfulness of the body (and the other frames of reference) day and night. What I would ask is, do you have a quiet place in which to meditate? Do you think you can arrange someplace - it doesn't necessarily have to be a monastery - where you can really push forward with the practice, undistracted and focussed? These (imho) are the questions I would be asking. The Buddha said that the Noble Eightfold Path leads to Nibbana. I know that sounds like a really obvious thing to say, but sometimes I get lost in so much detail and end up making it more complex than it really is...walk that path, with faith in the wisdom of the One who revealed it (and faith in your own inner wisdom, that sees it's importance), and just cultivate the path, to the best of your human ability - wherever you happen to be.

[cooran]

Thanks for your time, support and friendliness my dear friends! Has anyone visited Muttodaya in Germany? How is that place? Do you know anything about style of practise? Etc. The place certainly looks great to me!

Metta!

Hello M.G.A.

This link may provide some information on Muttodaya.
http://www.muttodaya.org/en/main.html

with metta
Chris

[M.G.A.]

Thanks for your wise answers! Many good points!

[Ben]

practice now, don't worry about the form you are in (lay or ordained) just practice, straighten your view, and practice in line with reality!
it will be for your benefit in the long run.

Well said!

[Alobha]

Thanks for your time, support and friendliness my dear friends! Has anyone visited Muttodaya in Germany? How is that place? Do you know anything about style of practise? Etc. The place certainly looks great to me!

Metta!

Bhikku Gavesako stayed there for a longer period of time. I've visited the place too. The abbot Ajahn Cattamalo is a disciple of Ajahn Chah, so Muttodaya is pretty much a forest monastery.

If you are more comfortable with speaking english, i recommend you to visit http://foresthermitage.org.uk/. Luang Por Khemadhammo is also a disciple of Ajahn Chah and a great teacher. Plus tickets to Birmingham (or London) might be cheaper than tickets to Munich from your place. Luang Por and the forest hermitage are also glad to welcome laypeople who want to stay for a longer period of time to help run the monastery. The people there are incredibly kind and patient.

[Ferox]

I'm no wise man but I would say that you have been given a gift of something like cancer to ponder on and experience that may prove useful in moving towards stream-entry. It did for me and I was just merely a caregiver of my wife who fought cancer for four years before her death back in 2005. These types of things smack impermanence right in your face and I agree that your worry about robes might be a mere distraction from seeing the true dhamma in front of you .

[BuddhaSoup]

Dear Mikael:

I wish you the best outcome with your treatments and I know that much progress has been made in the treatment of cancer. I trust your doctors are taking very good care of you.

As for ordination, I might suggest Wat Sri Boen Ruang in northern Thailand, for consideration of Samanera ordination, and if you wish to proceed further, for Bhikkhu ordination. You may find information about the Temple at: http://www.monkordination.com

The Abbot at WSBR is Dr. Apisit, a young Bhikkhu with a Ph.D. who is a wonderful person and a very engaged community leader through WSBR. The Wat itself is a very vibrant community center in northern Thailand. At WSBR is Phra Fred and Phra Greg, a British Bhikkhu and New Zealander, respectively. Both of these BHikkhus are very dedicated monks and teachers, as well as being just very good people. They help make the experience at WSBR very welcoming and vibrant. To note, in the area (Chiang Mai) are several excellent world class hospitals, in the event you would need any follow up care.

Many from the US and Europe have come to WSBR to visit, to take vipassana teachings, and further, to stay for a longer period for samanera ordination. Others, Thai and Western alike, stay on and progress toward Bhikkhu ordination. I recommend at least contacting Phra Fred or Phra Greg regarding your wishes. Phra Greg's email and contact info is at the site mentioned above.

With Metta,

Michael

[hermitwin]

If you are interested to ordain in South East Asia, I do have a few suggestions.
In Germany, I think the centre started by Ayya Khema is called Buddhahaus.

[hermitwin]

http://www.buddha-haus.de/buddha_haus_engl.htm

[hermitwin]

http://www.buddha-haus.de/metta_vihara_engl.htm

this is the forest monastery started by Ayya Khema.

[M.G.A.]

Greta ideas! I will consider/look into all of them. This is, as you said, indeed an excellent remainder of impermanence, and I also feel that I've really progressed in my understanding of the Dhamma due to this situation. So it can actually, strange as it may sound, be called a gift.

Anyhow, next Monday the first cycle of treatments are planned to be finished. Will be great!

Take care for now my dear friends and strive on hard, before it is too late!