“In brief, the main reason to become a monk or nun is to have more time to dedicate to practice. When one takes the vows of a monastic, one refrains from generating too many non-virtuous actions, and therefore reduces the arising of the negative emotions. The essence of being a monastic is therefore considered to be that our mind can become more peaceful.” — Khenpo Kunga

As it is now, Westerners who choose to follow the monastic path within Tibetan Buddhism are a bit like pioneers…

There is no clear path to follow—no standard-issue map. For most, living in a traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India or Nepal isn’t an option — there are visa issues, language barriers, and other challenges. And while there are now a couple Tibetan Buddhist monastic communities beginning to take root in the West, they are few and far between. As a result, most Western monastics are living alone, sometimes as one of only a handful of Buddhist monastics in their country. This presents many difficulties.

Given this situation, many questions arise, such as: Is it possible for Buddhist monasticism, particularly in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, to take root in the West, and what does that look like? How should the Buddhist monastic vows be interpreted for this particular time and culture, as the Buddha instructed they must be? What does successful monastic training look like? What kind of discernment process should there be for choosing to ordain? How can monastics and the lay community mutually support one another? And what is the best way for monastic communities to develop in the West?

For many Westerners who have ordained, the lack of clear answer to these questions has led to confusion and difficulty. In many cases, it has also led to disillusionment with the monastic path and ultimately giving back their robes. However, the fact that there are no clear answers right now also offers an opportunity to explore and envision the future of monastic life in the West in a fresh and creative way. The goal of the Western Buddhist Monastic Initiative is to do just that.

The Buddhist Monastic Initiative is sponsored by the Pema Chödrön Foundation, and under the guidance of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. You can read more about us here.