How to Become a Monk | Expert Tips and Step by Step Guide
Do you know how to become a monk? Monks are known to meditate for the majority of the day since it helps them achieve a Zen-like frame of mind. Most people wish they could achieve a higher level of peace like monks, but they simply don’t know how.
For this reason, we’ll give you professional advice on how to become a monk in this post.
A monk, according to Wikipedia, is a person who lives a monastic lifestyle, either by themselves or in a community of other monks. A monk might be an ascetic who willingly chooses to withdraw from society and live a life of prayer and meditation, or he can be someone who wishes to devote his life to serving all living things.
I sat with a monk in order to completely comprehend the process required to become a monk. We held discussions about the way to “monkship” for a few hours. All of the concepts are written down, and this is what this article reflects.
Why Become a Monk?
Serving a superior authority is the fundamental motivation for people to become monks. For Catholic monks, it is to serve God and the country, whereas, for Buddhist monks, it is to serve Buddha. One must control their desires in order to accomplish this. To stay focused on matters of the world and worldly attachments, one must do this.
Monks would rather forgo material belongings in exchange for the opportunity to connect with their inner selves. Letting go of things that are so crucial to most people today is incredibly liberating to a monk.
Who Are Monks?
An individual who withdraws from society in order to focus on religious service is known as a monk. Monastic activities are found in many major religions, with Christianity and Buddhism being the most prevalent.
It requires dedication, years of training, and a life dedicated to learning, and any person who wants to become a monk needs to be prepared to give up a lot of things.
Things to do in order to become a Monk
You must carry out the following actions in order to become a monk:
Give Your Religion Your All
Living in complete spiritual, bodily, and intellectual dedication to your chosen religion is what it means to be a monk. You commit deeply to your spiritual development as you start down the path to monastic life.
Daily study and many times-a-day prayer sessions will be required for this. In every element of your life, make an effort to live out your beliefs.
Investigate Several Monastic Orders
There are significant variances to take into account, even though the fundamental process of becoming a monk may be the same in all orders.
While monks in active orders leave the monastery to assist others, those in contemplative orders spend the majority of their time inside the monastery’s walls praying and some active orders place monks in jobs that are located far from a monastery.
In communal orders, monks interact with one another while working, praying, and eating. Monks in eremitic orders spend the majority of each day in their cells and do not socialize with one another.
Decide to Lead a Celibate Life.
Every monastic community, regardless of religion or order, adheres to celibacy. Take a personal vow of celibacy to begin the monastic life. You may determine if this is a feasible and realistic aim for you by using this practice.
When you get to the monastery to enroll, having successfully committed to celibacy, you will also demonstrate the depth of your dedication.
Living Communally in Practice
Living in a small community with other people is another feature of the majority of monastic orders. This entails dividing up food, lodgings, and in some circumstances, all material possessions. By engaging in community living, you can start experimenting with this way of living.
Give Up Your Material Things
Monks of all religions abstain from owning material belongings and live in a community with others. Monks occasionally give their entire estate to the church or temple. Giving away some of your current possessions and beginning to live a more simple life will help you experience this style of life and get closer to becoming a monk.
It is expected that anyone wishing to become a monk has not been in a committed relationship for at least five years. This is the case because the monastery would rather have problems keep you from becoming absolved than do so. The Monastery does not, however, support divorce.
A parent may not be permitted to become a monk or nun. This is so because having children means having strong bonds that are challenging to break.
For monks, there is no upper age limit. However, the final decision regarding one’s age rests with the temples and monasteries.
Becoming a Monk in Christianity
Check out a monastery
One of the first actions you must take to become a monk is to go to a monastery. Potential devotees are welcome to visit monasteries. Some places let you remain for a couple of days at a time.
You can discover more about the monastic way of life and monks’ obligations during these trips. This will give you a taste of monastic life so you can decide if it’s for you.
Turn Into A Novice
You can enter a monastery as a novice and settle there after you’ve visited one and made the decision to dedicate your life to it.
Your first step to becoming a Christian monk is this practice, sometimes known as “observation.” You will learn about every facet of monkhood as a novice. The monks will also assess your personality as part of this practice to determine whether it is suited for monastic life.
There could be more than one level of novice hood depending on the order. It can take up to a year for this. It is recommended that you avoid selling all you own while you are still learning (s).
This is due to the fact that some people opt not to continue after experiencing what it’s like to be a monk.
Develop The Postulate
You might be asked to become a postulant or destined monk after completing your novice hood. You might be given extra responsibilities in the monastery at this point. This phase of training gives you a richer experience that will help you choose whether this is the correct choice for you, as well as an opportunity to impress the monks.
Make brief commitments
You will be required to make “temporary vows” as a postulant, committing you to the monastic way of life and its principles for the duration of your stay in the monastery. The particular order will determine how these vows are different.
But they will almost likely include an intense commitment to God, an inclination toward celibacy, and a rejection of earthly possessions.
Make your last vows to live a monastic life.
You will eventually be invited to permanently enter the monastery after your time as a postulant. You will assume perpetual monastic vows after being ordained as a Christian monk.
Becoming a monk in Buddhism
Buddhism has been practiced for more than 2,000 years. It provides a way out of the suffering that is a part of being. Buddhist monks are individuals who decide to dedicate their entire lives to achieving this objective.
Becoming a monk doesn’t need much. You must have a fundamental knowledge of Buddhism (which, if you intend to ordain, you will likely have). Otherwise, all you need is a true desire to put Buddhist teachings into practice.
Study the teachings of Buddhism
You need to be very knowledgeable about the Buddhist tradition, well-read in Buddhist teachings, and well-versed in Buddhist thought before you may approach a teacher with the purpose of becoming a monk. Start your path to monastic life by committing yourself to Buddhist studies.
Become a member of a Buddhist temple or sangha. There are temples in practically every nation, and Buddhism is a widely practiced religion.
You’ll want to become a regular part of the community for months or even years before you take the next step to become a monk because practicing Buddhism as a layperson will provide you invaluable insight into what it’s like to be part of a Buddhist community, which is important to becoming a monk.
Find a spiritual mentor or advisor
A crucial part of becoming a monk is learning from a mentor. You can go more deeply into Buddhist teachings and come to a thorough grasp of what will be required of you as a monk with one-on-one tuition.
Start collaborating with someone who can instruct you on everything. Ask those in the local Buddhist community for suggestions if you need help finding a mentor. A temple will frequently invite Buddhist authorities to speak to the gathering, giving you the opportunity to network with potential mentors.
Getting Ready for Monastic Life
Meditate for a while. Daily meditation and a deliberate attempt to alter the way the mind functions are prerequisites for becoming a Buddhist monk. You will meditate for a large portion of the day if you live in an abbey.
To that end, it is suggested that you begin by meditating for five minutes a few times a day, and as you get more at ease, lengthen your sessions. This will assist you in developing your meditation skills, which is essentially what you would be doing as a monk.
Plan on being self-sufficient for two to three years
You must give up your regular work in order to become a Buddhist monk. Make preparations to sustain yourself for the first few years, it is urged.
Monks adhere to the Venaya, a rule of behavior that prohibits them from working regular jobs. While some temples may support you with the money they make from providing services to the general public, others may not. You are supposed to have enough money to maintain yourself because of this.
Get Ready to Give Up Your Worldly Things
Monks lead a life of mendicancy, which means they own nothing more than what is necessary for a very basic standard of living. The clothes, toiletries, and other necessities you need to live comfortably will be given to you.
Electronics, pricey clothing or shoes, and anything else that can be seen as a luxury item are not permitted. Items that might arouse emotions like greed, envy, or possessiveness are forbidden for monks to own.
Recognize that you will find a new family in your Buddhist community. Your entire life will be devoted to your Buddhist community once you join a monastery. Your days will be devoted to helping others, and you’ll concentrate on them throughout the day.
You won’t speak to your family much, and you’ll be urged to consider the Buddhist community to be your new family instead. You might want to talk to your family about this and let them know what’s in store before pursuing ordination.
Candidates who are married or have other close relationships are sometimes not accepted by monasteries. Since there are no extraneous distractions for single persons, they can devote themselves more fully to Buddhist teachings.
Prepare To Make A Chasteness Promise
Monks don’t indulge in any type of sexual activity. This is the reason why some temples forbid their nuns from mingling with the male monks unless it is necessary for conducting regular temple business.
Before becoming ordained, it is advisable to practice chastity to determine whether you are suited to a chaste lifestyle. The goal is to transfer the energy you would typically devote to sex into things bigger than yourself.
Choose the type of commitment that you want to make
Ordination is viewed as a lifetime commitment in various religious traditions. There are some traditions, though, where pursuing ordination for a little period of time—say, a few months or years—is completely acceptable.
For instance, before getting married or beginning their careers, many men in Tibet complete two or three-month ordinations to help them develop their spiritual selves. Verify if the monastery you are considering entering gives the amount of dedication you want.
If you’re unsure, you could pursue a two- or three-month ordination first and a longer-term one later.
Begin your training in an abbey
You will be ordained at a particular abbey if you decide you wish to become a monk. To be ordained in the abbey, one must fulfill the conditions specified by the abbey. In some situations, an elder who has determined that you will become a good monk must make the offer to ordain you.
Take part in the ordination ritual
The ceremony, which can only be conducted by an ordained monk, will commemorate your desire to convert to Buddhism. The monk will impart the three gems and the five precepts to you during this ritual. Your Buddhist name will also be given to you.
If you practice Shin Buddhism, your ceremony will be an affirmation rather than an ordination. The objective of the affirmation ceremony is the same as that of ordination.
Observe the guidance of your teacher
If you took part in an ordination ceremony, the ordained monk who presided over it will typically be your instructor. Specific instructions for the monastery you are joining will be sent to you.
Adopt the Bodhisattva Promises
A person who dedicates their life to the Buddhist dharma is known as a bodhisattva. The vows emphasize performing acts of compassion, making an effort to assist all people, and attaining knowledge. You can embody your best ideals through the vows. You will frequently repeat them as they bind you to a life of selfless devotion.
How to Become a Monk in Bitlife?
The best feature of the simulation game BitLife is the variety of ways you can simulate living your life. If becoming something really interests you, you could even become an astronaut.
You can choose from a wide range of professions in BitLife, including monk.
Although there are several ways to live your life, most players choose the religious path when playing this game. The prerequisites to becoming a monk are not particularly difficult;
You have to be a man
After completing high school, you can select the monk career from the job menu.
You must continue to be virginal (your character, not you).
Just completely close BitLife and reopen it after a few minutes if, for some reason, these aren’t available to you when beginning your new life. This will open up a whole new range of employment opportunities for you.
Now that you are aware of the prerequisites, let’s discuss some advice for aspiring monks in the game Bitlife:
Start Out as a Man, to Begin With
High school diploma with no marriage. You can date, or split up, but don’t get married or go out with other people. As you get older, look for the job listed under “jobs” at the bottom of the list. You might have to age up more than once to see it because it’s not a very common career.
As soon as you recognize the career, embrace it, and get to work on realizing your dream of being a monk!
Avoid using drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
Increase your health and pleasure by practicing yoga. It’s crucial to keep both of these as high as you can if you’re aiming for success!
Continue practicing yoga to improve your health and happiness metrics.
Visit the doctor if you become ill, but don’t overdo it! This step is crucial for achieving that objective in BitLife because overusing the doctor can lower both of these qualities.
You will eventually be permitted to enter the monastic life when 75 years have passed. Congratulations!
It will be time for your next mission, which is to spend the remainder of your life in peace and seclusion, once you have finished being a monk.
Go try your hardest now that you know how to become a monk in BitLife!
Conclusion
The information needed to learn how to become a monk is included in the steps above. So good luck as you embark on your path to a life of meditation and enlightenment. And good luck on your quest to become a monk in the virtual world if you enjoy the game Bitlife.
In case you choose not to become a monk anymore, Here is a great read on How To Set-up Your Own Business (First Steps)