Dreaming Of Danzan Ravjaa: The Heliocentric Worlds of Buddhist Ordination

August 02, 2008

The Heliocentric Worlds of Buddhist Ordination

Reportedly, a mass of Apollo worshippers converged in remote Western Mongolia yesterday, one of the more exotic places from which one could witness the total eclipse of the sun. There are various notions as to whether such a phenomenon is to be regarded as an auspicious or fearsome portent. From the Vajrayana Buddhist point of view, considering how the outer environment mirrors the inner, it’s a powerful occasion, though neutral. The karmic force of actions on such a day, whether positive or negative, increases by a factor of 10,000. We do try to be good boys and girls on such days and accumulate special merit.

Thus, here at the Palyul Retreat Center, yesterday was selected to perform ceremonies for the various levels of Buddhist ordination. In other words, we made some monks ‘n’ nuns. And I got photo happy, which is good, cuz I’m strangely exhausted tonight and it’s ~~lazier~~ easier to let the pix (mostly) speak for themselves.

First, we gotta get with some basic Tibetan terminology for the three levels of precepts that were requested and offered yesterday: a novice monk or nun is called getsul; a nun who holds special special intermediate vows is called gelobma; and fully ordained monks (this level of nuns’ vows was not propagated in Tibet) are called gelong.

Several of the candidates were onsite; others travelled in from as far away as Arizona. But all began the day at 7AM with an hour of meditation (well, at least Ashby is; the guy behind him looks like he was just visited by acute irritable bowel syndrome)...

...and prayers...

...and some generating an eclipse of their own:

At 9AM Gonpo Yeshe (the one from Arizona) and Norcho Johannison, behind him, excitedly welcome HH Penor Rinpoche and the other lamas to the temple, after which we customarily perform Guru Yoga together, and Rinpoche offers a short teaching. Then the temple was cleared and the ceremonies began.

Traditionally, no one besides the fully ordained monks performing the ceremony are allowed to be present, and certainly no photography, but I think you’ll enjoy the before and afters. Because no more than three candidates may be ordained at a time, and men and women are ordained separately, there had to be five ceremonies. Which meant quite a bit of waiting on the temple’s side porch.

At first, candidates do not wear their robes, which are blessed in the ceremony and then put on. In the case of novice candidates, like those here, a white scarf is worn to symbolize the clothing of a lay person. At a certain point in the ceremony, this is removed, symbolizing one’s renunciation of the outer signs of a lay person (shaving the head also partially symbolizes this, but also serves to humble pride, and create a visual equality among the ordained members).

There were several waiting styles. Very relaxed (even though a tattooed nun sat right by his side)...

...quite focused...

...with serendipitous nearby signage...

...a wee bit anxious? (We cracked up at this photo afterward because somehow the flower pot hangers look like floating question marks, don’t they?)

...and just downright too cool for school:

At a certain point in each ceremony, the candidates bustled out with instructions to put on their new robes as quickly as possible. Those of us outside helped, for a minute giving the porch the slightly chaotic air of backstage at a Milan runway. Well, you know, kinda:

After each ceremony was complete, the newly minted ordained would take the traditional begging bowl and circumambulate the temple three times:

Then they were released, free to mop their brows and obey Brother Konchog’s order that they pose for a portrait by the pretty flowers. Meet the newest, beautiful additions to the Western Buddhist Sangha:

Thubten Tashi Dawa (Moon of Good Fortune, Upholder of the Dharma), getsul:

Thubten Yeshi Dolma (Tara of Pure Wisdom, Upholder of the Dharma), getsul:

Ani Drolkar and Ani Alyce Louise, and Ani Isha, gelobmas:

Thubten Lozang Lungtog (No Idea of the Translation At All, Upholder of the Dharma) & Thubten Kunga Yeshe (Joyful Wisdom, Upholder of the Dharma), proud, manly gelongs:

Thubten Gonpo Yeshe (Something of Wisdom, Upholder of the Dharma) and Thubten Jampel Gyatso (Ocean of Something, Upholder of the Dharma – really got to work on my Tibetan), gelongs:

And, just because I love this photo and these are my true brothers in this lifetime, the four gelongs together:

May their excellent virtue delight the minds of all they meet, and serve as the perfect foundation of their swift attainment of complete enlightenment. May they never forget ignorant fools like me, and out of compassion return again and again to liberate all of us from these pointless rounds of birth, death and rebirth!

Title ref for you terminal squares.

August 02, 2008 at 08:43 PM | Permalink