Encyclopedia of Buddhism

the monastery where he or she is seeking ORDINATION.
During this period, the postulant learns about the
practice of monastic life, is involved in various menial
and demanding tasks around the monastery, and is in
charge of taking care of the needs of the other monas-
tics. This period allows the postulant as well as the
monks and nuns of the monastery to ascertain whether
monastic life is an appropriate choice.

Traditionally, entrance into the Buddhist san ̇gha
follows a two-step process in which the postulant first
becomes a novice ( ́ras
manera, s ́ra
manerika
) before
becoming a fully ordained monk (bhiksu) or nun
(bhiksunl
). To become a novice, one must be old
enough to scare away crows (usually interpreted to be
seven to eight years of age). Novices must follow ten
basic injunctions or PRECEPTS:

1. Not killing


2. Not stealing


3. Not engaging in sexual activity


4. Not lying


5. Not taking intoxicants
   6. Not eating after midday
   7. Not watching shows or listening to musical per-
   formances
   8. Not wearing garlands or perfume
   9. Not sleeping on high beds


6. Not handling gold or silver (understood to be
   money)

Monks and nuns who remain in the order may choose,

once they reach twenty years of age, to take a second,

more formal “higher” ordination (upasampada
). As

“fully ordained” monastics, monks and nuns are re-

quired to follow a greater number of precepts that not

only elaborate the ten novice precepts, but also deal

with subjects of decorum, dress, and demeanor. Even

though the number of precepts differ between the var-

ious regions and schools as determined by the vinaya

code that is followed, monastics rarely follow all of the

precepts, and in some traditions in Japan and Tibet,

for example, a married clergy was deemed acceptable

and even preferable.

MONASTICISM

Thicksay Monastery, Leh, Ladakh, India, 1997. © Don Farber 2003. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission.