Dear All,
My name is Jorge, and I'm 27. I'm thinking to becoming a buddhist monk after paying my student loan. I've schizophrenia which is well controled by proper medical treatment. Do you think that I can become a monk someday?
Sorry for my poor english.
With metta,
Jorge.
Schizophrenia and ordination
- Cittasanto
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Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
I see this is your first post Welcome to Dhamma wheel!
You would need to speak to the preceptor wherever it is you wish to ordain.
You would need to speak to the preceptor wherever it is you wish to ordain.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
Dear Jorge,Sarakani wrote:Dear All,
My name is Jorge, and I'm 27. I'm thinking to becoming a buddhist monk after paying my student loan. I've schizophrenia which is well controled by proper medical treatment. Do you think that I can become a monk someday?
Sorry for my poor english.
With metta,
Jorge.
I think schizophrenia is a broad field. But from my own experience with mental disorder I would say the following: If the illness doesn't hinder you to know and control your behaviour, i.e. to keep the precepts (sila), then that illness doesn't really matter, despite all the unpleasant feelings and perceptions that are connected with it. It might be different if medical treatment is needed to prevent one from becoming a "monster", but I think such cases are quite rare.
Good luck!
- Modus.Ponens
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Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
One thing you have to think about is that you can't go without medication and you'll be living out of dana. It can be counterproductive.
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
what if you have health insurance?
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
Thank you everyone for their answers. I think the best way to becoming a monk is waiting a Wat in my country (Chile) and get ordained there. I have family which can support me with meds if needed. I think the same must apply to everyone with chronic illness (diabetes, hypertension, OCD, heart disease and so on) which use meds.
Regards,
Jorge.
Regards,
Jorge.
Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
i'm in the same boat
Last edited by DJCT on Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Schizophrenia and ordination
My thoughts would be that on the path to preparing to become a monk, you would contact a Wat or temple, and begin to prepare as a lay person, and/or anagarika, and prepare for some period time in this capacity. Then, you might be in a position to request to be ordained as a samanera, or novice, and practice as a novice for, perhaps, one or two years. Thereafter, if all goes well, your abbot can advise whether your training, your preparation, and your health will allow you to ordain. It's a path you can take one day at a time, and see if over time it's the right path for you.