Ordination

by Arthapriya

Men and women from all over the world have joined Windhorse:evolution in order to prepare themselves for ordination. Over the years, over 120 have been ordained while working here, and overall there are over 300 order members who have at some point worked in the business, either before or after they were ordained. Many have found the context we have created here very supportive in furthering this aspiration. Ordination marks a decisive stage in the Buddhist life. It is at ordination that you make your lifelong commitment to the Three Jewels and to the Triratna Buddhist Order.

How do you know when you are ready to take this step?

A crucial factor in arriving at this important and decisive stage is the development of strong spiritual friendship. The development of friendship is greatly enhanced if you’re involved in a common project - like work.

To be ordained you need to decide for yourself that this is what you want to do with your life. The Order members you live and work with, as well as others who know you, also need to agree that you are ready. The most effective way of you finding out what it is to be an Order member; and the most effective means of the Order finding out if you are ready, is through spiritual friendship. By deepening friendship you and your friends in the Order get to know one another. By working together you get to see your own, and the other persons, strengths and weaknesses. Over time you get to know each others character. You have to move beyond the superficial and your own biases and preferences in order to see the other person and be seen by them. Working together is such an excellent opportunity to go deeper. The challenges we rise to, the triumphs we achieve, the mistakes we make, all of these shared in a context of appreciation, encouragement and honesty are the stuff of friendship.

The Buddha said the only way of really knowing someone deeply is by seeing them in all sorts of different situations and over a long period of time. To get to know someone spiritually you too need to be practicing the spiritual life. In friendship you get to know yourself much better, as well as your friend, and this self knowledge is all important - you cannot make a commitment if you don’t know yourself.

Many of the men and women coming here have been able to make that decisive commitment and have been ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order. Some of them work with us still, but many have either returned to their native countries or gone to pastures new. The friendships they made here continue to enrich their personal lives as well as enriching all those who come into contact with them.

(If you are interested in training for Ordination, speak to an order member, or see: www.tiratanaloka.org.uk and www.padmaloka.org.uk)