[jiess]

Hi TSR,

My dream school is Brown University, yes, the Ivy League one in the US. As it stands, and according to all the consultants and guidance counselors I've spoken to, I have very very little chance of being accepted there.

I'm a little stubborn, so I'm thinking about taking a gap year and applying next year (I skipped grade 3 anyway).

Now, I've always been interested in monkhood. There's something about living exceedingly simply (oxymoron?) and immersing yourself in spirituality... and all that time I would have to just.. think, and calm down, that I'm really drawn to. I also have a fascination with the feeling of 'clean' - whether it's through showering, running/exercising/sweating, or doing my work (mentally guilt-free = clean), etc, and monkhood has that same appeal because I feel like I owe myself a year away from myself (if this part doesn't make sense, nevermind).

So I'm thinking about going to an East Asian country, likely China my homeland, to live as a monk for a year. Currently my biggest concerns are 1) how do I do this? and 2) what if I don't come back?. But first, I'd rather hear some thoughts - any thoughts - good/bad idea, consequences, costs, worth it?

Any honest comment would be appreciated. Remember, I'm doing this 90% because I want to and can if I choose to re-apply next year, and 10% because it wouldn't look bad on an application (not as good as taking a year off to build a school I guess, but I'm not really trying to use this year to build my application anyway, so as long as what I choose doesn't hurt my application, I can consider it.)

[CatatonicStupor]

It seems a bit more...'different'...to a normal "Let's do volunteering" or "Let's go backpacking" gap year. All I have to say on this matter is:

1. Do you seriously have the conviction to be a Buddhist monk for the year? (Assuming, that based on the China/East Asia connection).
2. Are you doing this out of faith and desire, or just as a means of 'escapism'?
3. Have you considered or looked other options which allow for contemplation and 'escape from modernity and materialism'?

It does sound interesting though. Not for me, because I'd rather have spent my gap year (had I taken one) teaching English in Latin America, but still interesting.

[Christien]

I assume that being a monk is a lifelong commitment, and you can't just sign up while you're waiting to do something else.

However, what I'm currently doing with my gap year is playing football manager, posting on TSR and drinking myself into an early grave with people I don't really get on with all that well. So don't listen to me. Go nuts, Panchen Lama.

[jiess]

Catatonic,

Thanks for your reply.

1. Suppose I don't have such conviction, it'd still be rewarding that I tried and found out that being a monk isn't actually for me. So no, I wouldn't have a problem with running back to North America halfway.
2. It's not faith, I'm not Buddhist, and it probably is escapism/shirking reality. But maybe a long time away is what I need to collect myself before going off to college. (long story short, I've been separated from my parents, bad childhood, etc etc.)
3. lol, I like modernity and materialism =) But you're right, there must be plenty of other, more realistic activities that provide the same opportunity for contemplation. It's just that.... I've always wanted to be a monk. I don't know why... but I just do.



Christien,
I know being a monk was a lifelong commitment 2000 years ago, but I have no idea what the conditions are now. Thanks for bringing that up though.

[Ewan]

Are you good at being quiet? My mothers a buddhist nun... she often goes on retreat for weeks at a time, where she speaks to noone. I think you'll find it much harder than you think. I wouldn't suggest this idea to anyone unless they knew exactly what they were doing and were sure.

Also, in most societies being a monk is a lifelong commitment. This is the case in England, and it is the case in Tibet too, so I would assume it is in China [if by China you mean Tibet]. Most Tibetans are monks from their teenage years till their death. Of course you can disrobe, and stop being a monk, but thats not the "done thing". You won't find any gap year companies for China offering you the chance to be a monk for a year...

If you like modernity and materialism, especially the latter, this really isn't for you, and you really don't understand what being a Buddhist is at all. Go to a Thai island or something, faith isn't something you just choose to do because you want a holiday.

EDIT: Its completely different in Thailand btw, but thats a different branch of Buddhism to what is practiced in China. In Thailand most men will be a monk at some point in their life. Still without speaking Thai, and from your above comments I wouldn't recommend it. You don't seem to of thought about this much at all.