A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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Mkoll
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Mkoll »

Thank you for sharing, Bhante!

Just a word on the sugar, rats find it more addictive than cocaine. And so do I! :P

With metta,

James
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
SarathW
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by SarathW »

alan wrote:I can get up on my own and have real coffee, then go to a beach for walking meditation.
No one tells me to engage in menial labor, but if the gutter needs to be cleaned I'll do it.
I'll have lots of time to study or meditate,and will also take care of the body by doing Yoga and the appropriate amount of exercise.
When it comes time to eat, I'll prepare healthy meals that nourish the body. No pretense of asceticism, so I'll eat again later--and won't feel the need to indulge in sweets later on.
In the evening I might go take another walk in nature, or sit, or read. One thing I will absolutely not do is go hear people read off a rule book to me, because that would be boring and depressing as hell.

So then, if I can live like this, why become a monk?
Discipline is for the sake of restraint,
restraint for the sake of freedom from remorse,
freedom from remorse for the sake of joy,
joy for the sake of rapture,
rapture for the sake of tranquillity,
tranquillity for the sake of pleasure,
pleasure for the sake of concentration,
concentration for the sake of knowledge
and vision of things as they are,
knowledge and vision of things as they are
for the sake of disenchantment,
disenchantment for the sake of release,
release for the sake of knowledge and vision of release,
knowledge and vision of release
for the sake of total unbinding without clinging.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... guide.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

See also:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Dhammabodhi
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Dhammabodhi »

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

What a wonderfully written piece with wit and humour interspersed with peace and stillness, and the tremendous requirements of discipline in a monk's life.

Thank you, Bhante!
:anjali:
"Take rest, take rest."-S.N.Goenka
A fool from HK
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by A fool from HK »

Thanks Bhante!
I wish to ordain as a monk!
Gintoki
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Gintoki »

Post deleted: I'm in no place to question things yet and I don't want a mind intent on influencing..
Last edited by Gintoki on Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Shuun wrote:Thank you for sharing! Very lovely! :D

Few questions:

1- Why are you choosing to read over meditation?
2- Did you study suttas before you ordained?
3- What kind of mediation instruction are you following?
1... Why are you choosing to read over meditation?
Because I've meditated enough for that moment, and didn't feel like it anymore. There is such a thing as too much cake!
On the retreats I went to as a layperson I meditated 11 or 12 hours a day, but in monastic life I have found I have to be a lot more gentle, and not force myself to sit all the time.

2- Did you study suttas before you ordained?
Not intensively, or from free choice. I guess I studied 20 or 30 suttas when I spent 5 months at a monastery, but that was because there were compulsory sutta classes once a week. I found suttas very dull and boring when I was a layman, but now I see their relevance to my daily life much more, and find many of them fascinating.

3- What kind of mediation instruction are you following?
Anapanasati mostly. When the mind is clear and steady I just breathe, and when it is cloudy I repeat "Buddho, Buddho" on the in and outbreath.
I do about 30 minutes of metta meditation per day. I think I "should" do more metta, but it feels too sickly sweet sometimes.
And sometimes I just sit and be aware.
Nothing complicated.
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Alex123
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Alex123 »

Dear Bhante_Lucky,

For the work that you do each day,
are they as hard or easier than work in lay life?
kilanta
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by kilanta »

Thank you very much for sharing your day.
Bhante Lucky wrote:[...] a useful book about Buddhism and depression [...]
It would be most kind if you could share the name of this book you are referring to.
iHappy
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by iHappy »

Sorry for bringing an "old" topic back to life but I have enjoyed reading and just want to thank the autor.

Thank you Bhante Lucky, it was a wonderful read
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by JamesTheGiant »

iHappy wrote:Sorry for bringing an "old" topic back to life but I have enjoyed reading and just want to thank the autor.

Thank you Bhante Lucky, it was a wonderful read
You're welcome! Thanks for the thanks. :anjali:
eto
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by eto »

Yes, great read. Thank you.
fornoxe
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by fornoxe »

I had this quid of shedule. I can not follow. Too tired all days long. I don't want/like nap.

That quite a issue for me
Lonely upasaka
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Lonely upasaka »

I also think that schedule for sleep is not healthy and can lead to problems.
Impermanent are all formations;
Their nature is to arise and vanish.
Having arisen, they cease:
Their appeasement is blissful.
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Lonely upasaka wrote: Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:58 am I also think that schedule for sleep is not healthy and can lead to problems.
Yes, I know what you mean. However, I found myself sleeping a lot too much because it was a nice escape and comfortable luxury, not because I was tired. So I limited myself to the sleep I needed, not the sleep I wanted to indulge in.
Lonely upasaka
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Re: A day in the life of a novice Buddhist monk

Post by Lonely upasaka »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:07 am Yes, I know what you mean. However, I found myself sleeping a lot too much because it was a nice escape and comfortable luxury, not because I was tired. So I limited myself to the sleep I needed, not the sleep I wanted to indulge in.
Too much sleep is harmful and too little harmful as well. If you really getting enough sleep with this schedule you are lucky because you can practice more which means you can achieve your goals faster.
Impermanent are all formations;
Their nature is to arise and vanish.
Having arisen, they cease:
Their appeasement is blissful.
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