Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Aug 11: To raise the number of monks in Ladakh, Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) organized a fortnight camp on the theme “1st International Buddhist Novitiate”.
Pertinent to mention here that generally in a family having more than two children, the parents decide to send one child especially the younger one to become monk or nuns in the monastery but over the period number of monks in the Monasteries drastically reduced due to family planning thus there is declining trend in the monk number all over the Ladakh.
Considering these factors MIMC offered an opportunity for an ordinary person to experience the monk lifestyle in this fortnight camp at MIMC Campus Choglamsar.
Nearly 30 participants including some from America are undergoing monk life training by doing vigorous practice including eating only twice a day, wearing monk robes, etc.
MIMC Founder Director Venerable Bhikku Sanghasena, said that generally there is no such practice in Ladakh but in country like Thailand even the King have to become a monk for a short period of time.
Expressing his concern over reducing number of monks in the monasteries, he said that due to lots of development and boom in the economy nobody is willing to become monk or nun today. Such practice of short term period monk life provides an opportunity to learn basic Buddhism, added Sanghasena.
He said that since most of the participants are first timers, we take them for pilgrimage to different monasteries to explain them about the monasteries in detail. Besides we deliver lectures on basic “Buddhism teaching”, he added.
“We emphasized them on the teaching of love, compassion, humanity, unity and communal harmony”, said Sanghasena.
Follow our WhatsApp channel