During the time of the Buddha there was a longstanding tradition of renouncing the lifestyle of a householder and becoming a homeless ascetic. In the hagiography of the Buddha one of the four sights that spur him towards a religious life is an ascetic, and later on he is taught by a variety of renouncers. This ‘renouncer’ (śramaṇa/ samaṇa) tradition is important in the development of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. The term śramaṇa can be translated as ‘one who strives’.

2. • Ordination marks the process in which a member of the
lay community becomes a member of the monastic
community (Saṅgha).
• The individual leaves the comforts of their home, family
and friends and starts a religious life where they rely
upon others for food, shelter and clothing.

3. Fully ordained
monks in Thailand
(2008).

4. • During the time of the Buddha there was a longstanding
tradition of renouncing the lifestyle of a householder and
becoming a homeless ascetic.
• In the hagiography of the Buddha one of the four sights
that spur him towards a religious life is an ascetic, and
later on he is taught by a variety of renouncers.
• This ‘renouncer’ (śramaṇa/ samaṇa) tradition is
important in the development of Buddhism, Jainism and
Hinduism.
• The term śramaṇa can be translated as ‘one who
strives’.

5. • The ascetics, known as śramaṇas, would leave their roles
within society and would wander homelessly relying on alms
for food.
• There was not a uniform type of practice for the śramaṇas.
Some were solitary in their religious endeavours whilst others
would follow a particular teachers.
• The religious practices covered a number of activities. Some
renouncers focusing on one particular element and others
incorporating many. There were austere practices which could
include fasting, being naked at all times, and inflicting pain
upon themselves. Some would engage in meditation and
philosophy in which they would attempt to discover the true
nature of reality.

6. • Those who joined the Buddha in his order engaged in a
renouncer lifestyle. They were homeless and were reliant
upon the support of wider community to provide them
with material support including food and clothing.

7. • When the Buddha was alive ordination into the Saṅgha
involved a request to the Buddha. The Buddha would
accept by saying:
‘Come, monk. Well taught is the Dharma. Live the spiritual
life for the complete ending of suffering.’
Vinaya I. 17
Translation from Translation from Rupert Gethin, Foundations of
Buddhism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), p87.

8. • Some time after the Buddha died there was a division
within the Saṅgha and differing schools of thought were
developed. Each school developed their own monastic
code, or vinaya. It is within the vinaya that the guidelines
for ordination are set out.
• In modern Buddhist practice there are three surviving
vinayas:
• Theravāda
• Dharmaguptaka
• Mūlasarvāstivāda

9. A fully ordained
Theravāda monk
(Laos, 2007).
Theravāda monks
follow the Theravāda
vinaya which can be
found within the Pali
Canon.

10. The Dharmaguptaka
vinaya is used by
East Asian Buddhist
traditions, especially
those found in China,
Japan and Korea.
This photo is of a
Chinese monk
(Chengtian, China:
2008).

11. The
Mūlasarvāstivāda
vinaya is used by
Tibetan Buddhist
schools of thought.
(Bodh Gaya, India:
2010).

12. • As Buddhism developed renouncing, or ‘going
forth’ and ordaining became two separate
ceremonies.
• Going forth (pravrajyā/ pabbajjā) is a
ceremony where an individual becomes a
novice (śramaṇera/ sāmaṇera).
• Ordination (upasampadā) is a ceremony
where a novice becomes a monk (bhikṣu/
bhikkhu) or nun (bhikṣuṇī/ bhikkhunī).

13. • The individual who wishes to become a novice formally
requests a senior monk to become his teacher and
preceptor.
• The novice’s head is shaved
• The novice puts on ochre robes.
• The novice then recites the Three Refuges three times:
I take refuge in the Buddha (Buddham saranam
gacchami)
I take refuge in the Dharma (Dhammam saranam
gacchami)
I take refuge in the Saṅgha (Sangham saranam
gacchami)

14. An ordination at
a funeral in
Laos (2007).

15. • After the novice has recited the refuge he takes the Ten
Precepts
1. Refrain from harming living creatures
2. Refrain from taking what is not given
3. Refrain from sexual activity
4. Refrain from false speech
5. Refrain from intoxicants that cause heedlessness
6. Refrain from eating at the forbidden time
7. Refrain from attending entertainments, singing and dancing
8. Refrain from wearing perfumes, cosmetics and garlands
9. Refrain from sleeping in a high or luxurious bed
10. Refrain from accepting gold or silver

16. • A novice can become a fully ordained bhikṣu at 20 years
old. For someone over the age of twenty the pravrajyā
and upasampadā can take place at the same time.
• The ceremony requires the presence of at least five
bhikṣus who have been ordained for at least ten years.
• The novice is checked to see if he has his robes and
alms bowl.
• The novice is then sent outside the assembly and told
about the thirteen obstructing factors to ordination. This
serves as a practice when the novice is asked about
them later. Once done he is sent back to the assembly.

17. • A bhikṣu will recite a formal motion asking to question the novice.
• These questions are:
1. Do you suffer from leprosy?
2. Have you got boils?
3. Have you got eczema?
4. Have you got tuberculosis?
5. Do you get epilepsy?
6. Are you a human being?
7. Are you a man?
8. Are you a free man?
9. Are you free from government service?
10. Have you got your parents' permission to be ordained?
11. Have you a set of three robes and an alms bowl?
12. What is your name?
13. What is your preceptor's name?
•

18. • After questioning another motion is presented before the
gathered assembly of monks by bhikṣu who questioned
the novice. In this motion he asks the monks to accept
the novice into the Saṅgha.
• The bhikṣu then gives the assembled monks three
opportunities to speak out if they do not think the novice
should be accepted into the Saṅgha.
• When the third statement by the bhikṣu finishes the
novice is a fully ordained bhikṣu.

19. • At the end of the Upasampadā the new bhikṣu is told that
there are four resources (niśraya/ nissaya) that he can
use for the four requisites:
Requisite Resource
Food Alms
Clothing Robes made from rags
Lodging The foot of a tree
Medicine Fermented Urine

20. • Once ordained a member of the Saṅgha has to abide by
the rules outlined within the vinaya.
• Each vinaya follows the same structure. They are split
into two areas which govern the life of the Saṅgha:
1. Prātimokṣa/pāṭimokkha- these are the rules that govern
the lives monks and nuns.
2. Regulations covering acts of the Saṅgha as a whole
such as performances of chants and ceremonies

21. • The prātimokṣa is an important part of the vinaya as it
outlines how the Saṅgha should conduct themselves.
The number of rules found within the prātimokṣa are not
the same for each vinaya.
• Theravāda has 227
• Dharmaguptaka has 250
• Mūlasarvāstivāda has 258

22. • The stucture of the prātimokṣa is similar for the vinayas
that still survive. There are eight sections that can be
found:
1. The four defeats (pārājika). These are four actions that
result in automatic expulsion from the Saṅgha. They are
sexual intercourse, taking what is not given, killing
another being, false claims of spiritual attainments.
2. The saṃghāvaśeṣas which are thirteen actions that can
be punished by a suspension from the Saṅgha.
3. Two rules about sexual activities.

23. 4. The niḥsargika (Pail: nissaggiya) rules which deal with
inappropitate use of items.
5. The pāyantika (Pali: pācittiya) which are rules which
cover speech, conduct around women and the
requisites.
6. The prātideśanīya (Pali: pāṭidesaniya) which are four
actions that require confesson.
7. The śaikṣa (Pali: sekhiya) which are minor training
rules.
8. The final rules govern who disputes should be solved.

24. • The Buddha did allow the ordination of women after he
was petitioned by Ānanda. This was at a price as the
Buddha stated that the ordination of women would speed
up the decline of the Dharma.
• Nuns (bhikṣuṇīs) are, however, governed by more rules
than monks. There are eight additional rules
(garudhamma).
• The only bhikṣuṇī ordination lineage that is found in
modern Buddhist practice is within East Asian traditions
that use the Dharmaguptaka vinaya. The lineages for
Theravāda and Mūlasarvāstivāda have died out.

25. • There are, however, many women's movements in which
the members will live according to the Ten Precepts or
the Eight Precepts of a committed lay follower.
• Although the lineages for Theravāda and
Mūlasarvāstivāda have died out there have been, in
recent years,movements to re-establish bhikṣuṇīs in both
traditions.

26. In Myanmar there are
women who shave
their heads, receive
alms and live by
following the Ten
Precepts. They wear
pink robes and are
known as thilashin.
(Myanmar, 2009)