Ordanation Chant

[Para]

I am due to ordain soon but am really struggling with the chants I have to learn.

Yesterday I spent time with my Ajahn and after going through the process ended up with 8 A4 pages of Pali that needs to be remembered!

I am curious to ask the Western Monks when they ordained did you commit the chants to memory or read them from a book/note?

With Metta

Para

[Brucenkhamen]

I practiced and tried to commit it to memery as much as I could but as I recall during the ceremony the Ajahn was happy to prompt me when I got stuck as to what came next.

[Para]

I practiced and tried to commit it to memery as much as I could but as I recall during the ceremony the Ajahn was happy to prompt me when I got stuck as to what came next.

Brucenkhamen thank you.

I have 2 problems the first is that I am not being ordained by my Ajahn but by a very senior Abbot at a nearby temple. The second and biggest I was only told 2 days ago I am supposed to ordain in 5 days. To me its an impossible task to remember even th3e first page of the chants so I am just curious on the 'assistance' i can have/expect.

With metta

Edited January 24, 2012 by Para

[sabaijai]

I practiced and tried to commit it to memery as much as I could but as I recall during the ceremony the Ajahn was happy to prompt me when I got stuck as to what came next.

Brucenkhamen thank you.

I have 2 problems the first is that I am not being ordained by my Ajahn but by a very senior Abbot at a nearby temple. The second and biggest I was only told 2 days ago I am supposed to ordain in 5 days. To me its an impossible task to remember even th3e first page of the chants so I am just curious on the 'assistance' i can have/expect.

With metta

Should be the same, It is doubtful that a native Thai speaker would be able to memorise that much either.

[Brucenkhamen]

Should be the same, It is doubtful that a native Thai speaker would be able to memorise that much either.

Especially as it's not in Thai.

Pali is much easier to work with if it's in the proper western alphabet script, it's pretty hard if transliterated into Thai then transliterated into english if that's what he's using.

[Brucenkhamen]

You might find this booklet helpful or easier to work with http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ordination.pdf

[fabianfred]

In my experience, nowadays even the Thai ordinants are prompted and helped during the ordination ceremony. They have often been staying at the temple for a week or so before to prepare, but cannot remember either. A farang is even less expected to know it (although one would earn much respect if one could.)

The first half, in the Viharn, will be the ordination to a ten precept Novice monk, perhaps in the company of others, all saying the chants together.

The second half, ordination as a monk, in the Bote, will be done individually, and not more than two at the same time.

Where are you ordaining?

[Para]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Today I spent time with the #2 Monk at my temple and he told me not to worry and that I only needed to remember the first paragraph the rest I would be prompted/helped through.

He was confused at the amount my Abbott expected me to remember but as Fabianfred said I guess if I was able to remember it all it would reflect well back on him. There are 2 of us ordaining, the other is a young Thai guy who has been studying the chants for over a month now and still struggles remembering most of it.

After the frustration of yesterday I am now looking finally forward to Sunday!

[Para]

You might find this booklet helpful or easier to work with http://www.buddhanet.../ordination.pdf

Thanks for the link I downloaded it but when I compared it ot the Pali I am expected to say its different. Apparently different regions use variations on chants????

What was helpful was what to actually do as opposed to say so thank you.

Para

Edited January 26, 2012 by Para

[bankei]

I was required to memorise the lot. You would not be allowed to take in notes either.

Most of the thai men coming to ordain in my monastery take around 2 weeks to memorise. I, like you, had 5 days. I was told that I should give it a go and if I couldn't remember to just go through the novice ordinations (both ordinations were in the Bot right after each other). I struggled with it and then after about 3 days it started to click. Parts of it you may already know such as the Buddham saranam.... bits. Other parts are repetitive, so if you can remember the main bits such as the ends of the precepts ... veramani sikhapadam... etc then there is not so much to remember. I found the novice part to be hard to remember.

For the questioning part, are you a human etc, I ignored thinking about the pali and just remembered the yes, yes, no bits - counting on my fingers.

And, if you do get stuck one of the monks may prompt you, but they are not going to sit there and whipser the whole thing, mayb just the first few lines.

Bankei

[bankei]

Also, you should make sure whether you are ordaining alone or with someone else as the wording will change due to the change in grammar - I/we etc

[khaowong1]

In my experience, nowadays even the Thai ordinants are prompted and helped during the ordination ceremony. They have often been staying at the temple for a week or so before to prepare, but cannot remember either. A farang is even less expected to know it (although one would earn much respect if one could.)

The first half, in the Viharn, will be the ordination to a ten precept Novice monk, perhaps in the company of others, all saying the chants together.

The second half, ordination as a monk, in the Bote, will be done individually, and not more than two at the same time.

Where are you ordaining?

This is true. I studied for two weeks with my ajahn. I was ordained with a Thai and seemed to know more of the ordination chants than he did. We were however prompted by another senior monk and it helped a lot. It's been 3 and a half years now so I guess it worked out. :-) We are both still monks at the same temple and now very good friends.

[bankei]

Another tip is to wear knee pads or something wrapped around your knees. It is very painful when kneeling for approx 40min, especially on marble, or carpet on marble.

[Para]

Another tip is to wear knee pads or something wrapped around your knees. It is very painful when kneeling for approx 40min, especially on marble, or carpet on marble.

LOL. I ended up with a nice blister on the top of my toe as the carpet was very rough!

I ordained with a Thai from my temple and luckily for both of us we were prompted a lot. I wasnt till I was being dressed in my robes it hit me I was going to be a MOnk then I was abkle to relax and enjoy the ceremony.

Its been 9 days now and is easily the most amazing thing I have ever done.......