About becoming an educated buddhist priest/monk

[Kristoffer]

If you want to study buddhism to become a ordained priest:
- How many years must you have been an buddhist (belonged to a buddhist society and practiced it)?
- Heres a list over schools that educates buddhists: List of Buddhist universities and colleges - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Do you think that these schools are affiliated with different kinds of buddhism-sects? Do you have to be a practicing buddhist in a society which the school teach about? F.ex if Im affiliated with a zen-sect, then I can't study to become a priest on a school that teaches theravada form of buddhism?
- Does it, beside priest studies, exist bachelor, master and doctor-degrees in buddhism?

Ive also understood that when you study to become a buddhist priest, you also "automatically" become a monk. Is that so?

Do anyone here know something that would be nice to know in this matter?

Really hoping for answer! ^^

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Monks and lay-people can study for academic qualifications in Buddhism, or train within their own traditions.

 

[von bek]

Monks and priests are two different things. Most Buddhist traditions do not have priests. (Zen does have priests. Priests can marry, monks take vows of celibacy. There are many more differences beyond these.) To become a monk, you need no schooling. Visit a monastery and talk to the monks about your wish to ordain.

You can get a degree in Buddhist Studies from a university. That has nothing to do with being formally ordained in any tradition.

 

[Kristoffer]

Ok, but if you are going to study to become a zen-priest, for example, or are wanting to become a monk in a cloister, how many years must you have been practicing buddhism? Or is it like every newly converted can just become a monk, or begin to study to zen-priest as soon as they want to, without having any experience of living a buddhistic life from before?

 

[Vishvavajra]

As for the monk-priest thing, non-monastic priests are unique to Japan, where a hundred years ago the emperor decided to undermine the Buddhist tradition by forcing monks to marry, break the dietary precepts, etc., hence the proliferation of lay priests. That requirement was a long time ago, but Japanese Buddhism never completely recovered. It led to bizarre situations in which many Buddhist shrines are effectively family businesses. Non-Japanese lineages look at that practice... less than favorably.

Mainstream Buddhism has monks and nuns, which any person is eligible to become. There's no minimum amount of time you have to have been practicing Buddhism. But if you're new to Buddhist practice, the abbot might wonder why you want to become a monk so soon, as it's a hard life and not for everyone. Taking monastic vows is not something that should be done on a whim, even though you can leave it later.

Most monks and nuns are still students. Authorization to teach is something else that has to be granted by the master, and there is no specific amount of time that that will take. On top of having a decent knowledge of the tradition, you will also have to demonstrate a certain level of attainment, which will depend on the individual. Teaching authorization is not something that anyone is guaranteed to get in their lifetime, even monks. Lay practitioners can be given teaching authority, since it's independent from monastic ordination.

Usually a teacher will pick a few dedicated students, start giving them increased duties, having them give beginning instruction to other students, keep the time while meditating, and run short retreats, in preparation for eventually authorizing them to teach others independently. That will take a few years, since the teacher will want to make sure the prospective teachers are actually suited to the task.

In the Dharma Drum Chan lineage at least, even monks are encouraged to have academic instruction. Master Sheng Yen got a PhD in Buddhist Studies in addition to his monk's training, since he felt that monks were slacking off on the academic side of things and not really understanding what they were doing. It's not a requirement, though. All you technically have to do is study with an authorized teacher within the lineage, which all monks will be doing in any case.

 

[Kristoffer]

As for the monk-priest thing, non-monastic priests are unique to Japan, where a hundred years ago the emperor decided to undermine the Buddhist tradition by forcing monks to marry, break the dietary precepts, etc., hence the proliferation of lay priests. That requirement was a long time ago, but Japanese Buddhism never completely recovered. It led to bizarre situations in which many Buddhist shrines are effectively family businesses. Non-Japanese lineages look at that practice... less than favorably.

Mainstream Buddhism has monks and nuns, which any person is eligible to become. There's no minimum amount of time you have to have been practicing Buddhism. But if you're new to Buddhist practice, the abbot might wonder why you want to become a monk so soon, as it's a hard life and not for everyone. Taking monastic vows is not something that should be done on a whim, even though you can leave it later.

Most monks and nuns are still students. Authorization to teach is something else that has to be granted by the master, and there is no specific amount of time that that will take. On top of having a decent knowledge of the tradition, you will also have to demonstrate a certain level of attainment, which will depend on the individual. Teaching authorization is not something that anyone is guaranteed to get in their lifetime, even monks. Lay practitioners can be given teaching authority, since it's independent from monastic ordination.

Usually a teacher will pick a few dedicated students, start giving them increased duties, having them give beginning instruction to other students, keep the time while meditating, and run short retreats, in preparation for eventually authorizing them to teach others independently. That will take a few years, since the teacher will want to make sure the prospective teachers are actually suited to the task.

In the Dharma Drum Chan lineage at least, even monks are encouraged to have academic instruction. Master Sheng Yen got a PhD in Buddhist Studies in addition to his monk's training, since he felt that monks were slacking off on the academic side of things and not really understanding what they were doing. It's not a requirement, though. All you technically have to do is study with an authorized teacher within the lineage, which all monks will be doing in any case.

Very interesting! Thx for good info!
So, if you're becoming a monk, you actually have to study on school?

 

[Vishvavajra]

Very interesting! Thx for good info!
So, if you're becoming a monk, you actually have to study on school?

No, you go to a monastery and tell them you want to become a monk. The teaching will happen there.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Ok, but if you are going to study to become a zen-priest, for example, or are wanting to become a monk in a cloister, how many years must you have been practicing buddhism? Or is it like every newly converted can just become a monk, or begin to study to zen-priest as soon as they want to, without having any experience of living a buddhistic life from before?

You don't really study per say. (Of course there is formality by which you "study" in order to participate formally with the rituals and protocols of the school. )

Jukai (initation) ceremony is undertaken at the discretion of the teacher who gauges on your practice and insight.

Best advice is don't rush it and cast the ambitions aside with the rest of the luggage. Everyone sits. :0]

 

[Nicholas]

If you want to study buddhism to become a ordained priest:
- How many years must you have been an buddhist (belonged to a buddhist society and practiced it)?
- Heres a list over schools that educates buddhists: List of Buddhist universities and colleges - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Do you think that these schools are affiliated with different kinds of buddhism-sects? Do you have to be a practicing buddhist in a society which the school teach about? F.ex if Im affiliated with a zen-sect, then I can't study to become a priest on a school that teaches theravada form of buddhism?
- Does it, beside priest studies, exist bachelor, master and doctor-degrees in buddhism?

Ive also understood that when you study to become a buddhist priest, you also "automatically" become a monk. Is that so?

Do anyone here know something that would be nice to know in this matter?

Really hoping for answer! ^^

In the tradition given in the link, they have a preparatory regimen for either educated lay person or monastic: Contact & Links