Ordination Courses

What is ordination?

The Triratna Buddhist Order (previously called the Western Buddhist Order) is a spiritual community of men and women who have made a lifelong commitment to the Three Jewels, the spiritual ideals of Buddhism.

The Order is neither monastic nor lay, so ordination represents a determination to live by Buddhist principles rather than adherence to a particular lifestyle. Members of the Order live in a variety of ways - some live in retreat centres or communities as we do here at Guhyaloka, some live at home with their families: some work directly for a Buddhist Centre or a Buddhist Business and some have ordinary jobs and careers - there are teachers, office workers, social workers and therapists, writers, managers, builders, bankers and artists - and so on.  But every member of the Order has the same commitment to live by Buddhist principles and to move towards Enlightenment.  This commitment is formalised through ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order.

Ordination Courses

Since 1987 Guhyaloka has hosted four-month ordination courses for men.  These retreats are by invitation only and are the culmination of a period of training which is typically 4-5 years in length, leading to their ordination at Guhyaloka. During the course we review and deepen our experience of all the core spiritual practices of the Triratna Order, including the development of spiritual friendship, the extention of our ethical practices, our understanding of the Dharma, our meditation practices, the nature of insight and the Bodhisattva Ideal. More or less half way through the course there is a period of three weeks during which each man receives his full ordination into the Triratna Order when he is given the white kesa with the Three Jewel motif.  Although it is not without its challenges most of the men on retreat find this retreat to be the most spiritually enjoyable and significant event of their lives.