Being Monastic in the West

“In Asia, if you go and live in a Buddhist community, it’s a totally different ball game than living as a monastic here in the West. If you’re in a country where there is a huge Buddhist community, people understand something about your life as a monastic. When you’re living here in America you go out and you get all sorts of interesting responses. People have no idea what you are!” — Ven. Thubten Chodron

“Where the monastic tradition can contribute is that the monastics serve as the custodians of knowledge: they are a group of people who are dedicated to ensuring the continuity of the lineage, the transmission and the furthering of knowledge. And that is lacking in the West where everybody does their own thing. If you don’t rely on some kind of body to maintain this, in the long run the quality of the Dharma might be affected.” — Geshe Thubten Jinpa

Taking Buddhist monastic vows as a person living in the West has some very unique challenges, as well as certain opportunities. It has been estimated that over 90% of Westerners who take Buddhist monastic vows ultimately return to lay life. There are a number of reasons for this worth examining,

In Asia, the monastic tradition has been an important part of the culture and of maintaining the Buddhist tradition for well over a thousand years. In Tibet, before the Chinese takeover, up to one-third of all males became monks (Modern China, p. 289). In Thailand also, there is a still tradition of most young men becoming monks for a period of time, and supporting monastics through alms-giving is still part of daily life for many lay Buddhists there. In short, in many Asian countries monasticism is relatively well-engrained, respected, and supported by the general population.

In comparison, Buddhism is extremely new to the West, and the Buddhist monastic tradition is still foreign to most Westerners, even many lay Buddhists. Walking around in the U.S. or Europe or other Western countries in monastic robes, you are sure to get many stares, questions, or even someone yelling “Hari Krishna!” out their window as they drive by. Walking around Asia, if you are wearing Buddhist robes and not of Asian descent, you will likely also get stares. In some ways, unless you are in a monastery with other Westerners, you will rarely “fit in.” This can be challenging, as you may feel misunderstood or alienated. On the other hand, it can be a powerful practice if it is understood and practiced in that way.

Becoming a Buddhist monastic in the West, you are still in many ways a pioneer. Whether you live in a community of other monastics, or are living alone, or live in a monastery in Asia, you will be forging a new path in some respects. Even the most established Buddhist monastic communities in the West, like Sravasti Abbey or Gampo Abbey, are still learning and figuring new things out.

You have to have some guts to become a monastic in the West. There may be times your family, friends, or even lay Buddhists in your community don’t understand what you’re doing. It can also be difficult to figure out how secure the four requisites of food, lodging, clothing and medicine.It may not necessarily be clear how to practice the Vinaya in the context you are in, or even easy to get proper instruction. It is good to be aware of that, so you can prepare and think ahead about how you might respond to these challenges.

On the positive side, there is an opportunity to be creative. No one has all the answers, and you get to be part of creating the future of the Buddhist monastic tradition in the West. In each culture where Buddhism has spread, a unique style and form of monastic practice developed over time, influenced by that particular culture. If Buddhist monasticism is to take root in the West, it will almost certainly also develop its own style and uniqueness, or more likely, many styles, all rooted in the traditional monastic practice.

Questions to Consider:

• What inspires me to become a Buddhist monastic, given my personal background and cultural heritage? What has inspired me to consider this path?

• What are some of the main challenges I see in becoming a monastic in my particular culture, place, and community? What can I do to address these challenges and find support?

• Who are other Western monastics I can turn to for support and advice? Consider reaching out to them to establish (or strengthen) a connection and request their support.

• What are some of the opportunities I envision as a Buddhist monastic in the West, or as a Western monastic?

Read:

• Benedict and the Buddha: Monasticism in the West by Donna Lynn Brown

• Comrades in Alms by Ven. Thubten Chodron

• On Buddhism in the West, interview with Khandro Rinpoche

• Ordination— Caught Between Two Cultures by Brother Monlam

• “You’re Becoming a What?” Living as a Western Buddhist Nun by Ven. Thubten Chodron

Long Read:

• Monk(ey) Business by Scott Tusa. Read the 16-part series of his story about being a Western Buddhist monk and then returning to lay life as a Buddhist teacher. The link takes you to the first part in the series and you’ll have to click through to the next sections.

Watch:

• Q&A With Matthieu Ricard on Monastic Life for Westerners — we interviewed Matthieu Ricard for this initiative. He speaks a lot on the importance of community. You can watch the video below, or read the transcript here.

• 1993 Western Buddhist Teachers Conference with HH Dalai Lama discussion on Monasticism by the Meridian Trust. A number of well-known Buddhist teachers are included in this discussion with HH Dalai Lama, including Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Thubten Chodron, Bob Thurman, Jack Kornfield and others. This discussion is now over 25 years ago, but many of the issues remain the same.

• Life as a Western Buddhist Nun by Ven. Thubten Chodron (talk starts at 12:30)