Explore Monastic Life
Teachings from the annual Exploring Monastic Life program at Sravasti Abbey.
Exploring Monastic Life Program
Venerable Thubten Chodron leads an intensive three-week training program in late July to August every year at Sravasti Abbey. It’s for people thinking about becoming a Buddhist monk or nun, and for newly ordained monastics. Learn more about the Exploring Monastic Life program here.
Subcategories
Exploring Monastic Life 2005
The Buddha's life story, the history of the sangha, and the value of monastic precepts and community life.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2006
The history of the sangha and the precepts, different Buddhist traditions, and the benefits of ordination.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2007
The purpose of monastic precepts and how to keep them in modern times, and the six harmonies of a sangha community.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2008
Why and how monastics keep precepts, cultivate contentment and concentration, and benefit society.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2009
Sutras on how monastic life fosters ethical discipline, concentration, harmony, and trust.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2010
The Buddha's life, what changes after monastic ordination, and monastic community life.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2011
The Buddha’s life, his advice to laypeople, and how to work with the afflictions.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2013
Changes that occur after monastic ordination and commentary on the seven Vinayas of the past buddhas.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2014
The foundation of monastic life, the qualities of a monastic mind, and how to relate to the world as a monastic.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2015
History of the Dharma and the Vinaya, and commentary on chapter 4 of Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2016
The purposes and benefits of monastic precepts, the conditions for ordination, and commentary on the Ratthapala Sutta.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2017
Commentary on the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya novice ordination ceremony.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2018
History of monastic lineages and how precepts benefit the individual, monastic community, and society.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2019
A detailed commentary on the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya sramaneri and shiksamana ordination rites.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2021
How monastic precepts and living in community help to tame the mind, and how to live a happy monastic life.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2023
Teachings on the General Confession prayer in the 35 Buddhas purification practice and monastic ordination in general.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2024
History of monastic lineages and how precepts benefit the individual, monastic community, and society.
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Exploring Monastic Life 2025
Teachings on the "Monastic Mind Motivation" and working with the mind wondering whether or not to ordain.
VIEW CATEGORYRelated Books
Exploring Monastic Life Handbook
A collection of articles compiled by the Sravasti Abbey community to provide guidance for those interested in exploring their spiritual aspirations more deeply.
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Pravrajya and Shiksamana Ordination Rites
Rites for ordaining novice monastics and training nuns from the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya. This text is best read by Buddhist monastics and ordination candidates.
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All Posts in Explore Monastic Life
Venerable Thubten Chodron Offering our service
How to transform "work" into an offering to the Three Jewels and sentient beings.
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Venerable Thubten Semkye 
Should I ordain?
Indecision regarding ordination and the monastic mind motivation prayer, continued.
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Why I started the Abbey
Exploring Venerable Chodron's journey to ordination and starting the Abbey.
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Sravasti Abbey Monastics Q & A on monastic life
A special question and answer session with senior monastics about life and practice.
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Monastic mind motivation
An explanation of the monastic mind motivation prayer and how it helps our practice.
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Success and meaning in life
Examining one's motivation to ordain plus benefits and realities of life as a monastic.
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Authority, leaders and respect
Examining issues of authority and power in relation to our behavior and how we relate…
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Parents and gurus
Responding to questions about ordaining when parents don't approve and how to find a guru.
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Venerable Thubten Chonyi Why would I ordain?
The benefits of ordination and how monastic communities enable the Dharma to flourish.
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Origin of and living in the precepts
The origins of precepts, how they have adapted over time, and how they protect us.
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The Buddha’s life
The Buddha's life, his path to awakening, and how Buddhism has adapted over time.
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