Due to Chinese government restrictions, it is nearly impossible to become a Buddhist monk in Tibet. However, since there is a large and active Tibetan Buddhist community in Dharamsala, India, there are other options for becoming a monk in the Tibetan Buddhist community. This community was established by Tibetan monks who fled Tibet after the Chinese invasion and it is the home of the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama's temple in Dharamsala is open for those interested in learning more about becoming a monk. The temple's website can be found here:
The basic procedure for becoming a monk in any Buddhist tradition is:
- Establish yourself as a student of a teacher who is authorized to ordain monks.
- After a period of study, the teacher may agree to ordain you as a novice monk
- After additional study, you may become ordained as a full Buddhist monk
This process can take several years, so that the student can confirm his/her genuine intent to ordain and so that the teacher can be certain that the person has a genuine calling.
Be a Monk for a Month
Those people interested in becoming a Buddhist Monk can enroll to become Monk for a Month. This initiative has been a great success allowing many hundreds of guests a privileged insight into Buddhism from the Thai Theravada perspective. Now there is a new spiritual adventure being offered into Tibetan (Vajrayana) Buddhism on the edge of the Tibetan plateau high among the Himalayas in "Tibetan" India.
This program began in 2013 and trips included extended time staying inside Tibetan monasteries as well as a host of cultural activities culminating in a 3-day pilgrimage to Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama.
Monk for a Month is part of the Spiti Ecoshpere initiative which is an award winning social enterprise that has been operating responsible travel and community-based tourism in the majestic Spiti Valley since 2004. The area itself is located in the north eastern part of India, high in the Himalayan mountains on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. A distinctively Buddhist region, Spiti Valley is one of the least-populated areas in India. The culture is predominantly Tibetan making Spiti Valley an important preservation area for Tibetan Buddhism.
The program schedule begins in the Tibetan quarter of Delhi and then move deep into the Himalayas and the hidden vistas of Spiti Valley. The heart of the program is the contemplative experience of living in a traditional Tibetan monastery high in the breath-taking mountains. During 10-14 day visits in the monastery you will learn about Buddhism from the source while practicing the path and having a living-experience of daily life of Tibetan Monk and Nuns.
Guests are afforded a privileged insiders perspective to the many spiritual treasures in the "heart" of Tibetan Vajrayāna Buddhism. Programs run only between May and September and places are limited to 4 men and 4 women per group.
