Becoming a Sannyasin

[Vinayaka]

For some reasons, becoming a lifetime monk (sannyasin) has become out of style with perhaps the exception of the BAPS sampradaya. They are large in number and somehow seem to attract new monks regularly. I'm wondering if anyone has insights about how you would encourage somebody to consider it as an option. Yes, there is societal pressure, and parental pressure against it, but in the end, especially in some branches of our great faith, considered one of the 'greatest' (I mean in a humble way) a person can endeavor. If you really want to go 'all in' in service to humanity, wouldn't this be an excellent choice? Thoughts?

 

[JustGeorge]

I don't know. I would think exposure would be key, but that's only speculation.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I think more people would do it if it was more accessible. I’d likely do it, but I’m not even sure how to go about it.

 

[Vinayaka]

I don't know. I would think exposure would be key, but that's only speculation.

That's intuitive, and I agree. I remember discussing it with a friend in Mauritius in 1984. I asked him about it there, and his response was 'I didn't know I had a choice. At least the kids here will know it's a choice.' So it's a very real concern, not just in our religion, but in others as well. Perhaps it's a result of all the focus on materialism, and this 'rare' choice has been lost.

The reason it came to my mind was that my sampradaya announced recently that they were going to actually place ads about it in their own magazine, due to less and less interest. But it's tough, you know, because it is an arduous path, yet in the end very rewarding. I briefly entertained it in my youth, and am preparing now, in my elder years for the possibility next lifetime. Somebody better do it, or we'll lose a ton of great Hindu teachers.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think more people would do it if it was more accessible. I’d likely do it, but I’m not even sure how to go about it.

I think Ramakrishna Mission accepts divorcees and widowers. You could ask them what the requirements are. I know my sampradaya doesn't accept anyone over 25, unless they're raised in the sampradaya, and decide a bit later.

 

[JustGeorge]

That's intuitive, and I agree. I remember discussing it with a friend in Mauritius in 1984. I asked him about it there, and his response was 'I didn't know I had a choice. At least the kids here will know it's a choice.' So it's a very real concern, not just in our religion, but in others as well. Perhaps it's a result of all the focus on materialism, and this 'rare' choice has been lost.

The reason it came to my mind was that my sampradaya announced recently that they were going to actually place ads about it in their own magazine, due to less and less interest. But it's tough, you know, because it is an arduous path, yet in the end very rewarding. I briefly entertained it in my youth, and am preparing now, in my elder years for the possibility next lifetime. Somebody better do it, or we'll lose a ton of great Hindu teachers.

There was a window in my youth I'd have taken that path, if it had been available.

So you've decided to take this path now?

 

[Vinayaka]

There was a window in my youth I'd have taken that path, if it had been available.

So you've decided to take this path now?

No, not at all. There is, naturally, the stage of sannyasin, the final stage in the householder path, where you sort of withdraw naturally form the world, and the responsibility that goes with it, but that is very very different from the lifetime sannyasin vow. My comment was that I'm consciously thinking of the best place to be reborn where that will be a 'heard about' option much earlier in my next lifetime than it was in this lifetime. Try to pick a family that would be very open to the idea.

In the same way that women who hang out around other women who have little children sometimes want to become Moms, or you can subconsciously pick up an accent, I'm trying to spend more time just being around and observing the sannyasins I know. I have a friend who is currently on a 'task force' (temporary stay near the monastery) program, and I'm sure that's part of it. That is for next lifetime. For me, reincarnation is an absolute reality, not just some religious concept.

 

[JustGeorge]

No, not at all. There is, naturally, the stage of sannyasin, the final stage in the householder path, where you sort of withdraw naturally form the world, and the responsibility that goes with it, but that is very very different from the lifetime sannyasin vow. My comment was that I'm consciously thinking of the best place to be reborn where that will be a 'heard about' option much earlier in my next lifetime than it was in this lifetime. Try to pick a family that would be very open to the idea.

In the same way that women who hang out around other women who have little children sometimes want to become Moms, or you can subconsciously pick up an accent, I'm trying to spend more time just being around and observing the sannyasins I know. I have a friend who is currently on a 'task force' (temporary stay near the monastery) program, and I'm sure that's part of it. That is for next lifetime. For me, reincarnation is an absolute reality, not just some religious concept.

That's interesting. I didn't know that was an option, either(influencing your next incarnation, that is).

Yup, its a reality for me as well... but the idea I'd have any say/influence in where I went/what I did hadn't occurred to me.

 

[Vinayaka]

That's interesting. I didn't know that was an option, either(influencing your next incarnation, that is).

Yup, its a reality for me as well... but the idea I'd have any say/influence in where I went/what I did hadn't occurred to me.

In my view, you're influencing that every day by your actions (karma), but I'm not sure exactly how prevalent the idea is in more mainstream Hinduism. Maybe there, the view is all 'pot luck' off the astral. I also believe you have some choice in which type of souls you attract to your family. That one is certainly more common, as people will do rituals before trying to conceive just for the purpose of attracting higher souls. Four of the monks at the aadheenam came from sampradaya families. That would be the ideal, I suppose, because then you would certainly find out about it. Not just monasticism in general, but the same sampradaya.

So if you had a son that was at all inclined that way, would you encourage it, or at least offer up the opportunity? I did with both sons, but neither was all that interested. There is a lot of worldly influence in the west.

 

[JustGeorge]

In my view, you're influencing that every day by your actions (karma), but I'm not sure exactly how prevalent the idea is in more mainstream Hinduism. Maybe there, the view is all 'pot luck' off the astral.

I'd agree, though I suppose I'd always pictured in in a more general sense.

Good thing to think about.

I also believe you have some choice in which type of souls you attract to your family. That one is certainly more common, as people will do rituals before trying to conceive just for the purpose of attracting higher souls.

I'd heard of that.

Four of the monks at the aadheenam came from sampradaya families. That would be the ideal, I suppose, because then you would certainly find out about it. Not just monasticism in general, but the same sampradaya.

So if you had a son that was at all inclined that way, would you encourage it, or at least offer up the opportunity? I did with both sons, but neither was all that interested. There is a lot of worldly influence in the west.

If I had one that was interested, I'd certainly encourage it.

 

[ajay0]

For some reasons, becoming a lifetime monk (sannyasin) has become out of style with perhaps the exception of the BAPS sampradaya. They are large in number and somehow seem to attract new monks regularly. I'm wondering if anyone has insights about how you would encourage somebody to consider it as an option. Yes, there is societal pressure, and parental pressure against it, but in the end, especially in some branches of our great faith, considered one of the 'greatest' (I mean in a humble way) a person can endeavor. If you really want to go 'all in' in service to humanity, wouldn't this be an excellent choice? Thoughts?

For a sannyasin, the whole world is his family literally and there are no bondages of any sort restricting him. Because of this factor of no distractions of any sort, they are capable of giving great good to the world. This is especially crucial in this dark age of Kali Yuga.

Buddha was a sannyasin, and so was Shankara, Vivekananda, Prabhupada , Satguru Sivayasubramaniyaswami, Yogananda, Sivananda, Chinmayananda and so on who developed institutions which serves the world .

The Rajarshi or householder-saint is however considered superior to the mere monk, as the monk is dependent on his material sustenance on the Rajarshi.

Rama, Krishna, Sita, Janaka, Lahiri Mahasaya, Brahmarshi Prem Nirmal, Guru Hargobind, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar are examples of Rajarshis who attained both enlightenment as well as material prosperity., and are considered as ideals in society.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I think Ramakrishna Mission accepts divorcees and widowers. You could ask them what the requirements are. I know my sampradaya doesn't accept anyone over 25, unless they're raised in the sampradaya, and decide a bit later.

That, I think, is the larger part of the problem. I'm well beyond the age to enter most orders, and I can't see myself entering an order as a brahmachari, which is the entry level for most orders in my understanding.

I may reach out to the Ramakrishna Mission to find out details. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Aupmanyav]

For some reasons, becoming a lifetime monk (sannyasin) has become out of style with perhaps the exception of the BAPS sampradaya. They are large in number and somehow seem to attract new monks regularly. I'm wondering if anyone has insights about how you would encourage somebody to consider it as an option. Yes, there is societal pressure, and parental pressure against it, but in the end, especially in some branches of our great faith, considered one of the 'greatest' (I mean in a humble way) a person can endeavor. If you really want to go 'all in' in service to humanity, wouldn't this be an excellent choice? Thoughts?

There is no dearth of people taking to Sannyasa in Hinduism, educated and uneducated, see them all when the Kumbha Festivals take place. Yogi Adityanath comes to mind. Head of a Sect, Gorakh Matha, Gorakhpur; the most popular Chief Minister and probably a future Prime Minister of India, of the most populated state in India, Uttar Pradesh, 257 million people, and a Maths graduate.

But then why should we encourage people to take Sannyasa, when all that it does can be achieved even without taking the robes. Can't one serve the humanity withput taking up the robes? I am thinking of Prime Minister Modi. He is already a Sannyasi without taking up any robes and is 'all in' in service of the people of India. His assets in 2022 were Rupees 22,382,504 (USD 269,668 - not even a million dollars) after 13 years of being Chief Minister of Gujarat and 10 years as the Prime Minister of India. He is much poorer than my son.

(although his proximity to BAPS disturbs me. BAPS is heretical and hardly Hindu as they believe Sahajananda to be The God Almighty himself).

I refer to Krishna's verse in Gita: "jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi yo na dveshti na kankshati" (Consider him as already renounced who neither hates anyone nor desires anything BG 5.1).