Does anyone know what the process to become a modern-day Shaolin Monk would be?
How is it done in China and what is the road to discipleship if you’re studying in the U.S.?
Why? Are you thinking of becoming a Shaolin Monk?
The first thing to become a desciple is you have to be castrated and vow a life of chastity. Then they bring in 7 beautiful virgins to tempt you. If you reject thier pleasures then you are accepted as a disciple.
Not sure but I think it involves sever pummeling of the groin on a regular basis, sometimes even your OWN groin !!
:eek:
a university level education and a whole lot of money.
Yes, and walking around with no Pants dragging huge stone cylinders with your “Mr. Happy”
In all seriousness it costs a lot of money. You have to pay by the month and live at the temple. Its like $2,500 a month for training and for room and board. If you agree to a one year contract it’s a little cheaper. They also have other contracts for 2, 3 ,4 ,and even 5 year terms. Five is the longest you can sign up for at one time. You have to abide by thier rules. They can dismiss you at any time without refunding your money. No sex with anyone staying there is allowed. And If you get caught by the authorities for visiting the local brothels, thats grounds for dismisal. No refund. They accept men and women there at the temple.
[QUOTE=mkriii;873652]In all seriousness it costs a lot of money. You have to pay by the month and live at the temple. Its like $2,500 a month for training and for room and board. If you agree to a one year contract it’s a little cheaper. They also have other contracts for 2, 3 ,4 ,and even 5 year terms. Five is the longest you can sign up for at one time. You have to abide by thier rules. They can dismiss you at any time without refunding your money. No sex with anyone staying there is allowed. And If you get caught by the authorities for visiting the local brothels, thats grounds for dismisal. No refund. They accept men and women there at the temple.[/QUOTE]
Thank you.
I look at the guys who trained at the temple who teach in the U.S. It seems Yan Ming has started to create his own disciples; but the Buddhist part of his instruction is relegated, it seems, to one hour a week.
Buddhist temples here in the U.S. understandably focus on spiritual development but nothing at all on the physical body.
As far as I know, the Shaolin Temple is the only Buddhist Temple that emphasizes both Buddhist and martial traditions.
If there were something here in the States like that, I would pursue it.
I plan to go Shaolin in China for at least a summer to see if the monastic life is for me. National Geographic did a documentary where there were two classes of students: the students who only studied kung fu, and those who had become full monks. Both were skilled in the physical aspects of the art.
As I get older, I’m looking for more than just the fastest kick or the hardest punch.
Wish I had the money to do that. I personally think that it is a little to expensive. The food there is not what you get here in the States. Here you get lots of meat and little vegies. Over there it the opposite…lots of veggies and little meat. When I say little meat I mean two or three pieces that are bite size. And a scoop of rice. NO ice for your drinks. You will loose about 15 to 20 pounds while there. I’m sure the Abbot of the temple get the luxeries that the monks don’t get.
[QUOTE=Chan Quan;873564]Does anyone know what the process to become a modern-day Shaolin Monk would be?
[/QUOTE]
Learn contemporary wushu.
[QUOTE=kal;873658]Learn contemporary wushu.[/QUOTE]
Or take ballet.
[QUOTE=NJM;873694]Or take ballet.[/QUOTE]
Ballet is a little too rough to begin with, I would stick to WuShu and then move to ballet when you get good.
[QUOTE=NJM;873694]Or take ballet.[/QUOTE]
wu shu does have its good qualities to you know. people who do wu shu have good stance, high jumps, great flexability, crisp clean punches, high kicks. on the down side it does not teach fighting skills (although I do know some awesome fighters that do wu shu) or grappling skills.
[QUOTE=mkriii;873657] The food there is not what you get here in the States. Here you get lots of meat and little vegies. Over there it the opposite…lots of veggies and little meat. When I say little meat I mean two or three pieces that are bite size. And a scoop of rice. NO ice for your drinks. You will loose about 15 to 20 pounds while there. I’m sure the Abbot of the temple get the luxeries that the monks don’t get.[/QUOTE]
Is that how it was when you were eating there?
[QUOTE=unkokusai;873700]Is that how it was when you were eating there?[/QUOTE]
No. But thats how it was for 8 of my classmates that went for a month. They all came back about 15 pounds lighter. Do you not think that it was like that when you were there? This was back in 1992.
[QUOTE=mkriii;873716]No. But thats how it was for 8 of my classmates that went for a month. [/QUOTE]
Oh, I see. You sure made it sound as if you had been there personally.
…
Don’t listen to these guys, Chan Quan
Does anyone know what the process to become a modern-day Shaolin Monk would be?
There are literally thousands of kids that train in live-in schools near Shaolin. Some of them are inclined to pursue a monastic life at Shaolin. These kids go through a rigorous series of examinations, which narrow the field, akin to the traditional system of examination established by Confucian rule for centuries.
Keep in mind that there are two classes of monks at Shaolin: wuseng (martial monks) and wenseng (more of your classical Buddhist monk). I’m not sure how many wenseng there are, probably hundreds. That’s an easier class since you don’t have to take as many vows. Most of the monks that we know in the West are wenseng. There are less than 200 wenseng at last count.
Now, there are a few westerners that claim they have been ordained as a monk at Shaolin. They didn’t go through this same process. The most prominent of them at this time is Yanfan in L.A. We ran a feature on him in our last Shaolin Special: The First American Branded at Shaolin Temple By Melissa Leon-Guerrero Do. He’s also mentioned in our monk initiation thread here.
How is it done in China and what is the road to discipleship if you’re studying in the U.S.?
You can be a disciple of any person, not just a monk or a martial arts master. For example, you might disciple under a master of tea ceremony or painting. The process is the same, with some slight variations in local/secular rituals. The key is to find the right master. If you just want to be a disciple, that’s just like saying you want to be married. Get a mail order bride. I hear Russia is good for that. You’ll find way too many resources about that here on our forum. :rolleyes: Here’s an old article of mine that addresses some of the basics of discipleship.
. . . . . . . 
[QUOTE=Chan Quan;873655]As far as I know, the Shaolin Temple is the only Buddhist Temple that emphasizes both Buddhist and martial traditions.[/quote]
understand that in shaolin, martial arts is part of buddhist practice- used to push your chan experience further. they are not separate traditions. shaolin is about chan buddhist practice.
I plan to go Shaolin in China for at least a summer to see if the monastic life is for me.
honestly, if you are indeed sincerely interested in monastic life its a huge life choice you cant take so lightly. and you need not go to china for it. but understand its not something you can go and try out and if you dont like it, leave. monasticism doesnt work like that.
and if you’re only interested in monasticism if there is gongfu involved, i think you should reconsider the reason you want to leave home. whether its serious buddhist commitment or what.
if you are sincerely interested in monastic life i suggest you take a little more time to look into what such a major life choice entails. if you’d like to pm me i can give you more details and places to look.
National Geographic did a documentary where there were two classes of students: the students who only studied kung fu, and those who had become full monks. Both were skilled in the physical aspects of the art.
if we’re talking about monasticism, this is incorrect. it is imperative that all monastics study buddhism. even those who train in martial arts in shaolin, they first must learn buddhism. then they may start training martial arts while studying buddhism at the same time, which includes daily buddhist chanting services, chores and the like.
there is no class of monastics that only study martial arts. those are modern performance groups and have no monastic experience whatsoever.
also, i dont know what mkriii is talking about. perhaps some type of martial arts school. but that is not how monasticism works at all.
be clear on it especially before you waste your money going to china for something like that!
peace!
Thank all of you for your perceptive replies.
It’s a big decision and not one I want to take lightly.
Gene, thank you for all of the pointers and resources. I will study them carefully before I decide on a course of action.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;873737]Keep in mind that there are two classes of monks at Shaolin: wuseng (martial monks) and wenseng (more of your classical Buddhist monk). I’m not sure how many wenseng there are, probably hundreds. That’s an easier class since you don’t have to take as many vows. Most of the monks that we know in the West are wenseng. There are less than 200 wenseng at last count.[/QUOTE]
i think you mean “wuseng”- the warrior monks class. they only take five lay precepts (10 while in the monastery) and have spread out in the west to spread chan through the vehicle of martial arts.
whereas “wenseng”- scholarly monks- is just another name for “heshang”, or “bhikshu”- that is a fully ordained monk. not an easier class by any means. thats where the real work is done. i dont know of any from shaolin that have spread west. perhaps some in that handful out in california?