Lifetime Medicines

[K.Dhamma]

What are the rules for ordination/remaining ordained for those individuals who have or acquire a lifetime illness? Such as Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune diseases, etc?
Also, if they are allowed to ordain what are the rules for the medicine requirements they may choose to take?

[K.Dhamma]

I haven't seen a reply to this yet. I ask because I think I have an auto-immune disorder. I will find out shortly, but just wondering what my options are because I do plan to ordain in the next year.

[James the Giant]

I'll write you a reply when I get to a proper computer in a week or so, but I'm limited with typing right now. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, I'm sure the others will contribute sooner or later.
Best wishes with your health.

[kryptos]

Send letters to many monasteries asking about your intention and your health limitations and wait for the replies. I think there is a solution for your case. Probably, the abbot will assess if his monastery have condition to periodically buy the necessary medicines or if some lay follower (supporter) would be interested in helping you. I think that there are solutions because no healthy monk is free from developing a certain disease after his ordination.

[melancholy]

What are the rules for ordination/remaining ordained for those individuals who have or acquire a lifetime illness? Such as Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune diseases, etc?
Also, if they are allowed to ordain what are the rules for the medicine requirements they may choose to take?

1) for your first question, please download this pdf http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... o/bmc2.pdf (the page: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... .html#bmc2) and read pages 194 and 195.

if lazy, searching for this "2) Those with serious, disfiguring, or communicable diseases". on the pdf will take you there.

2) for the second question, only thing you should worry is the continuous supply. if you have relatives or friends who wish to supply that is the best way. some/most non-asian monasteries like bodhyana also very good at taking care of the sick monks.

edit: on a second thought, please do not ordain in asia. i know several incidents where extremely rich monasteries neglect helping sick foreign monks. all may not be the same but why take chances.

hope this helped you!
all the best wishes for your dhamma journey!