Monastic Life
A treasury of information about the joys and challenges of life as a Buddhist monastic.
All Posts in Monastic Life
Venerable Thubten Chodron Reasons for monastic precepts
The more we keep the precepts, the better we get along with other people, because…
View Post
The six harmonies (continued)
Living in community with mindfulness: a long-term vision to prepare the monastery for future generations…
View Post
The precepts in modern culture
Keeping precepts in our present-day culture and relating to others in a healthy way.
View Post
The purpose of monastic precepts
Precepts serve to guide monastics in a positive direction, making the mind peaceful by abandoning…
View Post
The six harmonies
The temporary goal of a monastic is to create a community that facilitates practice, so…
View Post
The “Ratnapala Sutta”
Buddha's disciple foremost in faith who, with pure motivation, looked with wisdom at cyclic existence…
View Post
Gradual path to enlightenment
A condensed explanation of the lamrim, the gradual path to enlightenment.
View Post
Precepts and vows
Monastics and lay practitioners take different levels of precepts. The benefits of taking and keeping…
View Post
Questions for group discussions
How to prepare for monastic ordination. Reflecting on motivation, dealing with difficulties.
View Post
Alex Berzin Bhikshuni vinaya and ordination lineages
A summary report by Alex Berzin of the 2007 International Congress on the Women's Role…
View Post
Women in the sangha
Reflections on the First International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role in the Sangha in Hamburg,…
View Post