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Becoming A Monk
FIRST COME STAY FOR A WEEK OR SO, AND AFTER THAT IF IT IS MUTUALLY AGREEABLE, JOIN THIS SMALL BAND OF MEN IN COMMUNAL LIFE, DILIGENTLY PRACTICING BOTH TOGETHER AND INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS. Here a few monks will dedicate themselves to carrying on the great tradition of Mahayana Buddhist temple life and working for the welfare of mankind. This is too big a leap for one step. Before dedicating, you will need to resolve the question: is this or is this not the path you want to follow? So therefore, prospective monks are first invited to make non-committal visits, usually 2-7 days in order to get a feeling for temple life and to discuss hopes and doubts. These short stays are free of any charges, except that one must provide his own transportation to and from the monastery. Following this experience, the prospective monk may apply to live in the monastery for several months as an aspirant, again free of charge.
The Long View
Living at CTM is NOT an escape from the world; it is deep and difficult training to SERVE the world and all its creatures. The monk provides a very valuable role in society: the acquiring of vision, INNER VISION, which can guide humans out of the messes they are causing. The monk trains to purify his body-speech-and-mind, thereby bringing himself into harmony with the Buddha's Dharma; this enables him to intersect with the peoples of the world to influence them toward abandoning the root causes of the problems and to assist them in realizing for themselves the vision of the Dharma, resulting in happiness for themselves and others.
Support For The Monastery
The land, buildings, and the director are self-supporting and need no outside capital. The moderate income of the monastery can support several monks at any given time in the Initial and Aspiration phases. However, when monks reach the stage of full membership in the community, they become a part of the support for the monastery. The sutra says, "The bodhisattva is for giving, not for taking." And Saicho writes, "Forget self; benefit others" (mo ko ri ta). Without the help of truly bodhisattva monks, we cannot benefit others by carrying out the building projects and outreach programs, providing free training for new aspirants, or making possible the travel and training of the monks in the Tendai tradition.
The Search
If one has doubts, we are happy to recommend another Buddhist path which might be a better fit. This is based on the belief that all Buddhists, even all humans, are one family. After completion of the Aspiration phase, one would make the decision to join the brotherhood of monks and become part of the self-supporting community.
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