People can be cynical about temporary ordination saying "they're just playing". What I've found is you can be a monk or a nun for your whole life and be pretending. Just using it as a way to run away from life and not observing the discipline of not causing harm. It's easy to be a monk or a nun and not acknowledge your habits directly. Refraining and not causing harm is a powerful way to live. Even for one day, living this way wholeheartedly is more than some do their whole life. You can spend these days and learn something of value for the rest of your life.
This is about becoming a truly loving person.
Pema Chödrön, Yarne Ordination Ceremony
In
order to become ordained, one needs to have experience
in the practice of sitting meditation and have taken refuge
vows. Taking refuge vows means that one has committed to taking refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha - one has formally become a Buddhist.
After
coming to Gampo Abbey, one must be a resident for a minimum
of three months before asking for the vows. The temporary
vows are identical to the five vows, precepts, taken by all residents.
However, a monastic shaves his or her head, wears robes,
performs rituals and attends monastic training. Monastic life is the heart of the experience of being a resident at Gampo Abbey.
The
five vows are:
The
vows are taken within a wider context of Mahayana teaching
and are explained further.
Monastics,
like all residents, participate in Buddhist sitting meditation
(4 hour/day minimum). Twice a month we have Sojong, which
is a confessional and purification ceremony. During the six to seven weeks of Yarne (winter
retreat) there is intensive training in the Vinaya (traditional
rules of monastic conduct). Throughout the year we study
the Dharma (in English) in classes and individually, utilizing
our extensive library.
The
temporary ordination is given for a minimum of
6 months. After six months, people may leave Gampo Abbey
and return to lay life. If someone wants to continue to
reside at the Abbey as a monastic they may do so for up to two years. After a minimum of
two years the pre-novice vows (Parma Rabjung) may be taken.
This is the first step in becoming a monastic for life.
