Becoming a monk is a serious decision that requires certain conditions to be met and to go through certain procedures. Here are the steps and conditions for how to become a monk in detail:
Personal Choice: First of all, ordination must be a voluntary choice and not for escapism or other non-religious purposes.
Family Consent: Consent from a parent or guardian is required. In the case of minors, the signature consent of a parent or guardian is also required.
Physical conditions: complete limbs, able to walk normally and take care of themselves. The facial features are upright, and there are no serious visual and visual impairments.
Health check-up: A recent health check-up certificate is required to certify that there are no infectious diseases or other health problems that may affect normal practice.
No criminal record: A certificate of no criminal record is required to prove that there has been no violation of national laws, no ongoing proceedings or wanted.
Financial independence: The monk should be financially independent, have no debt problems, and do not need to rely on others to live.
Level of Education: Although a high degree of education is not necessarily required for ordination, the ability to read and understand**, basic Buddhist knowledge and cultural literacy are necessary.
Psychological stability: Monks need to be mentally stable and have no mental illness or serious psychological problems.
Age Limit: Usually the age of ordination is 7 years old and under 60 years old. Under special circumstances, such as those who are in good health and have special practices, the age limit can be relaxed.
Pure motives: The motivation for ordination should be pure, to pursue the Dharma and benefit sentient beings, not to evade responsibility or gain material gains.
After meeting the above conditions, you can go to the monastery for consultation to understand the ordination procedure. It is usually necessary to live in the monastery for a period of time to investigate and get used to it. During the visit, students are required to learn basic Buddhist teachings and precepts and pass the Sangha review. After passing the review, you can officially ordainate and become a novice. After that, as one grows older and more cultivated, one can further be ordained as a bhikshu.
Becoming a monk is a sacred decision that means giving up your worldly life and dedicating yourself to the practice and propagation of the Dharma. Therefore, before becoming a monk, you need to think carefully to ensure that you have the necessary conditions and qualities to become a monk.