I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
User avatar
BlackBird
Posts: 2069
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:07 pm

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by BlackBird »

I am so damn happy for you Jamie, with one caveat
James the Giant wrote: So, why choose that particular monastery?

There are meditation monks with jhanas and attainments, etc. You don't tend to see too much of them.
I hope this isn't an important reason for you.

Reason being that it was one of the main reasons I chose a particular monastery in Sri Lanka and later an important reason why I changed monasteries and the same reason I became disillusioned in both cases. You just cannot put your eggs in this basket because inevitably you may turn out to be wrong. There's no guarantee anyone at Bodhinyana has attainments, and every time I hear a lay person declare it with utmost confidence I cringe a little. Maybe some of them have got Jhanas, I think that much is inferable. But there's no such thing as an educated guess when it comes to whether someone is an Ariya.

Other than that, much mudita :D
Thoughts will be with you

metta
Jack
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
Gena1480
Posts: 308
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:36 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Gena1480 »

Congratulations
James
may you stay on path
without ever returning.
User avatar
Viscid
Posts: 931
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Viscid »

Congratulations, I am excited for you. Tell us all about it when you can!

That next-generation Access to Insight that Sujato and that 'computer monk' are working on is quite exciting, also.
"What holds attention determines action." - William James
User avatar
manas
Posts: 2678
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 3:04 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by manas »

Wow, James. This is greeat! :woohoo:

My two cents': remember that monks are human beings. Don't expect perfection from anyone. Of course you will meet many inspiring guides and practitioners of great virtue and wisdom, but remain centred. Remember the three refuges: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Ariya Sangha - and that last refuge, while wonderful and still extant on this planet I believe, is hard to actually pinpoint in any particular individual.

I wish you the adventure of a lifetime.
This I say to you: Good luck to all assembled here! Dig up the root of craving, like one in search of the fragrant root of the birana grass. Let not Mara crush you again and again, as a flood crushes a reed.

Dhp 337
Go James! :anjali:
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
Sylvester
Posts: 2204
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:57 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Sylvester »

Have fun, James!
User avatar
Anagarika
Posts: 915
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:25 pm

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Anagarika »

To be honest, at the beginning I was going to steer clear of it due to the bhikkhuni controversy.
For this reason alone I might have flown or swum to Perth to ask to ordain as an anagarika there! Ajahn Brahm, like most heroes, took action when others would not and accepted the consequences. In the end, he's more supported than ever.

James, I wish you the best, but be mindful that Ajahn Brahm is on the leading edge of what I feel is the next wave in the Thai sangha, that being full support of women in the Sangha. As you know from his Dhamma talks, he's a progressive force. You have a rare opportunity to train with someone who represents the new wave, and I hope you see this as rarefied air, and not a hindrance. Anumodana!
SarathW
Posts: 21184
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by SarathW »

Congratulation James!
Now I can get the answers to my questions from horse's mouth> :D
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
James the Giant
Posts: 791
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:41 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by James the Giant »

BuddhaSoup wrote: You have a rare opportunity to train with someone who represents the new wave, and I hope you see this as rarefied air, and not a hindrance. Anumodana!
Ah yes, it certainly is great. The reason I was worried about going there was that monks from Ajahn Brahm's monastery are not exactly super-welcome at the other Ajahn Chah monasteries... they can come, but there might be some questions.
I went to another Australian monastery and the abbot there was really negative about Bodhinyana, and discouraged me from visiting it.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
User avatar
Anagarika
Posts: 915
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:25 pm

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Anagarika »

I went to another Australian monastery and the abbot there was really negative about Bodhinyana, and discouraged me from visiting it.
Was that abbot in green robes, to reflect his jealousy? :)

James, you've done a really great thing, and I can't help but think that you'll feel you're in the company of some truly excellent people at Bodhinyana. I spent some time in a Wat in Thailand, and of course you hear of rivalries and negative comments about other wats and abbots. My guess is that with the training you receive under Ajahn Brahm and the other monks there, along with your demonstrated intellect and intuition on this forum, that you'll be welcome anywhere you go. It's going to be great to hear of your experiences there once you've spent some time in whites/robes. Again, congratulations and well done!
User avatar
puppha
Posts: 160
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:56 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by puppha »

Hi James,

You're really a giant! Congratulations! I wish you all the best, and may you use this new opportunity to alleviate dukkha!
:twothumbsup:

With Metta
User avatar
kizma
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:40 am
Location: Île Perrot, Québec
Contact:

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by kizma »

Excellent!
I am very happy for you!! :)
User avatar
Alobha
Posts: 565
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:27 pm
Location: Germany

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by Alobha »

Great news James. All the best! =)
User avatar
waimengwan
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:22 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by waimengwan »

Thanks James, for your insightful sharing about Ajahn Brahm as a result of your experience with his monastery. So tired of reading about people who talk about Ajahns and teachers based on hearsay and whatever read on the internet. Ajahn Brahm talks have benefitted me tremendously good to hear good things about him again.
User avatar
marc108
Posts: 463
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:10 pm

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by marc108 »

Sadhu to you. Congratulations! :woohoo:
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
User avatar
James the Giant
Posts: 791
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:41 am

Re: I've been accepted to stay at Ajahn Brahm's monastery

Post by James the Giant »

Today I got a phone call from the Guest Monk, saying "YES a place has become available, when would you like to come?"
So now it's a matter of quitting my job (my work will not like that, oh dear) and selling my car, and getting rid of all my stuff or putting it in storage.
I only have a carload of things anyway, so that will be easy.

GULP!
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
Post Reply