Taking the plunge

[AdvaitaJ]

Your courage and resolve are both impressive and inspiring.


AdvaitaJ

[David N. Snyder]

Congratulations ! ! !

I Sri Lanka

Most of my teachers are from Sri Lanka or have lived in Sri Lanka as monks or nuns

[BlackBird]

Thank you all so very much for your kind inspiring words, your caution and your heartfelt and meaningful advice.

Much metta
Jack

[Chula]

All the best Jack! It's inspiring to read what you're doing..

About Sri Lanka, I've heard good things about all three of the monasteries you plan to visit.. I used to go to Mītirigala with my family every year when I was a kid for dāna. I've heard it's quite disorganized now though.

You might want to check out one of a branch of monasteries called Mahamevnāwa (name is harkening back to the golden Anurādhapura age) that I've found quite impressive. They keep to the Vinaya strictly and focus on the Dhamma-Vinaya (and not the Abhidhamma and Atthakatā) - which is something of an anomaly in Sri Lanka. The head monk Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda has almost completely translated the Suttapiṭaka to readable Sinhala (the Buddha Jayanti translation was done in the 1950s and is less readable than the Pāḷi since it was done to show "the grandness of the Sinhala language"). These days a lot of young university students are ordaining - there's a training facility in Mātara with over 100+ monks. In all, there are 500+ monks in the tradition.

There are 40+ branches around the country and internationally with headquarters in Polgahawela. You can find more info here:
http://www.buddhavision.com/Mahamewnawa_m_centers.html

Hope this helps and feel free to PM me if you have any questions about Sri Lanka (I also have plans to go back sometime this year).

Metta

When I arrive in Sri Lanka there are three monasteries I would like to stay at to begin with:
- Na Uyana.
- Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya (for the Rains retreat, have talked it over with Ven. Dhammajiva Thero).
- Potgulgala (Where Ven. K. Nyanananda thero resides).

[BlackBird]

Hey thanks Chula! Sounds good, I'll put it on my list.

metta
Jack

[suanck]

Sadhu sadhu Sadhu!

I did a pilgrimage tour in Sri Lanka in 2006, visited all major Buddhist historical sites, and I'm very impressed!

Suan.

[cooran]

Hello Jack,

Bhante Dhammasiha, Abbot of Dhammagiri, first ordained in Sri Lanka (he came across the Dhammapada when doing research for his PhD in India - he is German).

"He ordained as a Theravada Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka in June 1995, with most Ven. Paṇḍita K. Sri Jinavaṃsa as preceptor. For three years he trained at Nissaraṇa Vana, Meetirigala in Sri Lanka, a forest monastery dedicated to solitary practice of meditation, and meticulous observance of the Theravada Vinaya. His approach to practice was guided by the Suttas of the Pali Canon, and by the example of senior monks like Ven. Ñāṇavimala, Ven. Ñāṇadīpa and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi."

And Bhikkhu Samahita is in Sri Lanka - maybe worth consulting.

metta
Chris

[yuuki]

This is incredibly inspiring to me.

Thank you!

[shjohnk]

Hi jack,

Sadhu to you! What an inspiring step! May you make tremendous progress on the path!
I think you have received some great advice here. I only want to add: I think you SHOULD have a go at Sinhala - It will help you understand the culture much better if you can speak the language. It will also enable you to learn Pali much easier. You'll also be accepted more there.
I look forward to hearing more about your preparations in the coming months

John

[appicchato]

And Bhikkhu Samahita is in Sri Lanka - maybe worth consulting.

Excellent idea Jack...if I were asked...

[shjohnk]

Hi Jack,

You may find this paper helpful:
http://www.bps.lk/other_library/Info%20 ... teries.pdf

It's a little out of date (2006), but certainly a good reference!
All the best in your inspiring move!

John

[nissaranamagga]

Best wishes! Jack. You will make it.

I went to Nauyana aranya and Kanduboda last week. In fact i got to travel 3 days with a Czech monk from Nauyana.

Give us a shout when you are here in SL.


metta.

chan


PS my teacher is also from NZ.

[Modus.Ponens]

All the best to you Jack

[BlackBird]

Hello all, sorry for a bit of a late response.

I have been learning a little Sinhala, not enough to really hold a conversation but hopefully that will change over the next couple of months. Once again thank you all for the positive responses

metta
Jack

[jcsuperstar]

practice well and make us all proud! we need as many noble ones in the world as we can get.

[nissaranamagga]

You will learn sinhala quickly. I have met several western monks who speaks singhalese fluently. You can learn fast when you are here but it is always good to have a bit of preparation.

[adosa]

A belated "Good Luck Jack."

adosa

[suriyopama]

Congratulations. I wish you peace and happiness in this path.

[Vardali]

Good luck, Jack, I am sure it will be a memorable experience
Moving to a different country to live there is quite a challenge; I only did this within Europe, so the culture shock was relatively minor

Just be prepared that there WILL be culture shock, so you can be prepared and manage it as something that is for most people inevitable after the first couple of month.

Enjoy

[BlackBird]

My idea thus far has been a meditation-acclimatisation programme, whereby I intensify my efforts whilst living at home, then I leave for Bodhinyanarama in Wellington on April 10th, it's Thai Forest tradition, so there's good practice environment, but it's not too heavy going - It should allow me time to adapt to the monastic routine a bit more than if I had left straight from home to Sri Lanka.

Anyway, I'm off to the batch for a week, hope you are all well my friends and your practice is good!

metta
Jack