1
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Do you have any advice for making a gradual transition from a simple lay life to the monastic life?

2
00:00:08,715 --> 00:00:09,897
Are the rules very strict?

3
00:00:10,699 --> 00:00:13,987
Is there a leeway with regards to monks' behaviors?

4
00:00:14,428 --> 00:00:16,352
It is singing, dancing.

5
00:00:17,851 --> 00:00:19,233
You want to be a singing monk, no?

6
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A dancing monk?

7
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:24,682
No, there's no leeway.

8
00:00:24,962 --> 00:00:29,129
If you can't give up singing and dancing, don't become a monk.

9
00:00:29,149 --> 00:00:34,277
A person should become a monk because they know that they have defilements but they want to be free from them.

10
00:00:35,158 --> 00:00:38,323
If you don't want to be free from your defilements, don't become a monk.

11
00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:45,687
If you want to sing and dance, don't become a monk.

12
00:00:45,828 --> 00:00:46,368
Bad idea.

13
00:00:49,433 --> 00:00:50,735
But that's the second question.

14
00:00:50,775 --> 00:00:53,879
The third question.

15
00:00:54,260 --> 00:00:56,123
Second question, are rules very strict?

16
00:00:56,183 --> 00:00:57,124
Yes, they're very strict.

17
00:00:58,025 --> 00:01:03,433
First question, how to make a gradual transition from lay life to monastic life?

18
00:01:03,413 --> 00:01:05,297
Stop dancing.

19
00:01:05,357 --> 00:01:05,998
Stop singing.

20
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That's your first.

21
00:01:07,361 --> 00:01:08,403
Stop listening to music.

22
00:01:09,044 --> 00:01:10,487
Start keeping the eight precepts.

23
00:01:11,388 --> 00:01:12,390
It's really nice, actually.

24
00:01:12,410 --> 00:01:13,512
There's like stepping stones.

25
00:01:13,713 --> 00:01:15,997
Start with the five precepts.

26
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Once you got them covered, go to the eight.

27
00:01:19,243 --> 00:01:20,666
Once you got them covered, go to the ten.

28
00:01:20,726 --> 00:01:26,417
Once you got them covered, go to the 227 plus, plus, plus, plus, plus.

29
00:01:26,397 --> 00:01:29,641
I did a Dhammapada verse on this, didn't I?

30
00:01:29,722 --> 00:01:30,763
Didn't I already do that one?

31
00:01:31,644 --> 00:01:37,472
This lay disciple who went to the monastery and he asked, what should I do?

32
00:01:37,512 --> 00:01:38,293
Where can I start?

33
00:01:38,333 --> 00:01:39,575
They said, keep five precepts.

34
00:01:40,056 --> 00:01:41,698
Okay, so he did that, came back later.

35
00:01:42,399 --> 00:01:43,160
What should I do next?

36
00:01:43,420 --> 00:01:44,642
Come keep the eight precepts.

37
00:01:45,163 --> 00:01:45,984
Okay, he did that.

38
00:01:46,505 --> 00:01:47,286
What should I do next?

39
00:01:47,366 --> 00:01:49,789
Well, go for ten precepts.

40
00:01:49,769 --> 00:01:52,373
And then eventually he ordained as a monk.

41
00:01:52,393 --> 00:02:02,729
So he did these things in order and he became known as anupubha, anupubhaka or something like that, the one who practices in order, in progression.

42
00:02:04,612 --> 00:02:05,975
So that's a good next step.

43
00:02:06,776 --> 00:02:08,979
Give up the singing, dancing, go for eight precepts.

44
00:02:09,981 --> 00:02:14,528
And once you can do that, then go on to...

45
00:02:14,508 --> 00:02:15,890
becoming a novice monk.

46
00:02:16,291 --> 00:02:22,860
Once you become a novice monk, see if you can do that, and if you can do that, go on becoming a full monk.

47
00:02:24,843 --> 00:02:28,989
So, if you're still dancing and singing, I'd say your lay life is not simple enough yet.

48
00:02:30,291 --> 00:02:37,461
You could make the jump to monastic life, but you'd have to be sure that you can give up dancing and singing and listening to music and so on.

49
00:02:38,142 --> 00:02:43,350
If you can't, give them up first and prepare yourself to become a monk.