Śrāmaṇera

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Śrāmaṇeras in the Korean Buddhist tradition.

A śrāmaṇera (P. sāmaṇera; T. dge tshul དགེ་ཚུལ་; C. shami) is a novice monk (bhikṣu) in the Buddhist tradition. A female novitiate is called a śrāmaṇerī or śrāmaṇerikā (P. sāmaṇerī). The novice monastic (monk or nun) is a preliminary stage before becoming a fully ordained monastic.

According to tradition, Gautama Buddha's son Rāhula became the first śrāmaṇera when he was seven years old, at the request of the Buddha.

Precepts

Ten precepts

Main article: ten precepts

Novice monastics in the Theravada tradition follow a set of ten precepts:

1. refraining from killing living beings (prāṇātipāta virati)
2. refraining from taking what is not given (adattādāna virati)
3. refraining from engaging in sexual misconduct (kāmamithyācāra virati)
4. refraining from lying (mṛṣāvāda prativirati)
5. refraining from from intoxicants (madyapāna virati)
6. not to eat at improper times [viz. after twelve noon] (vikālabhojana virati)
7. not to use perfumes, garlands, or cosmetics (gandhamālyavilepanavarṇakadhāraṇa virati)
8. not to sing, dance, play music, or attend entertainments (nṛtyagīta virati)
9. not to sleep on high and luxurious beds (uccaśayanamahāśayana virati)
10. not to handle "gold and silver" (money) (S. jātarūparajatapratigrahaṇa-virati; T. gser dang dngul la reg pa spong pa; C. bu xu jinyinbao jie 蓄金銀寶戒)

Thirty-six precepts

Novice monks in the Tibetan tradition follow the Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya, which has an expanded set of thirty-six precepts.

External links

• The Ten Precepts, Access to Insight
• The Bhikkhunis' Code of Discipline (Bhikkhuni Patimokkha) Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• "Female Monks In Buddhism", by Dhammacaro (07/23/2005).
• "Vinaya Pitaka", brief description includes "Order of ordination for men and women...."