Dharamsala, India, March 15th 2010 - Today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a group of monks full ordination according to the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya tradition that was established in Tibet by the Indian Abbot Shantarakshita in the eighth century CE at the behest of the Tibetan Emperor Trisong Deutsan.
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During the last 51 years of exile in Over the last 51 years that he has lived in exile in India His Holiness has ordained more than 7,795 Bhikshus, including the 32 who were ordained today. Vinaya, the Buddhist code of monastic discipline, is observed in both the Foundational Vehicle (Hinayana) and the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) traditions and is the foundation of the Buddhist practices of concentration and wisdom. Therefore, those who have received Bhikshu ordination rejoice at the opportunity they have to lay this foundation within themselves personally, in addition to the service they render the Dharma by becoming fully ordained.
Prior to the ordination His Holiness and the senior Bhikshus who assisted him performed the ceremony of confession and restoration, confessing and purifying any infractions of their own vows in preparation for granting the ordination to others.
His Holiness also blessed the two yellow robes, lower robes and mats for the monks. They were instructed not to separate themselves from these robes during the night. They were advised that should they be parted from these robes etc for that period of time, they should have them blessed again by a qualified Bhikshu.
During the actual ordination groups of three monks are ordained together while the rest of the monks close their ears. This follows the established tradition.
The monks were served lunch at the ordination place, which was their last meal of the day. Monks and nuns take a vow to avoid eating after lunch.
The Abbot of the ordination instructed the Bhikshus to keep their vows purely without allowing infractions to occur. The necessary advice concerning how to keep their vows was given.
On this particular occasion, His Holiness invited a Sri Lankan Bhikshu Ven. B. Dhammaratana Maha Thero to witness the ordination of monks as Bhikshus in the Mulasarvastivadin tradition.
