Śrāmaṇera

Śrāmaṇeras in Thailand

Śrāmaṇeras from the tradition of Korean Buddhism

A śrāmaṇera (Sanskrit; Pali: sāmaṇera; traditional Chinese: 沙彌; pinyin: Shāmí; Korean: 사미; Burmese: ရှင်သာမဏေ shin thamanei, Thai: สามเณร samanen, Khmer: សាមណេរ "samaner") is a novice monk in a Buddhist context.

Etymology

The literal meaning of śrāmaṇera is "small śramaṇa," that is, small renunciate, where "small" has the meaning of boy or girl.

Overview

In the Vinaya monastic discipline, a man under the age of 20 cannot ordain as a bhikṣu, but can ordain as a śrāmaṇera. The female counterpart of the śrāmaṇera is the śrāmaṇerī. Śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs keep the Ten Precepts as their code of behaviour, and are devoted to the Buddhist religious life during a break from secular schooling, or in conjunction with it if devoted to formal ordination.

The Ten Precepts upheld by śrāmaṇeras are:

1. Refrain from killing living things.
2. Refrain from stealing.
3. Refrain from unchastity (sensuality, sexuality, lust).
4. Refrain from lying.
5. Refrain from taking intoxicants.
6. Refrain from taking food at inappropriate times (after noon).
7. Refrain from singing, dancing, playing music or attending entertainment programs (performances).
8. Refrain from wearing perfume, cosmetics and garland (decorative accessories).
9. Refrain from sitting on high chairs and sleeping on luxurious, soft beds.
10. Refrain from accepting money.

Ordination differs between śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs.

Transition to full ordination

After a year or at the age of 20, a śrāmaṇera will be considered for the higher bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī ordination. Some monasteries will require people who want to ordain as a monk to be a novice for a set period of time, as a period of preparation and familiarization. Adults would normally wear the white robes of a Brahmin, as do mae ji, who do not seek ordination.

See also

• Ordination
• Ordination process (Sangha)
• Poy Sang Long
• Śrāmaṇerī
• Shinbyu
• Sikkhamana
• Unsui
• Anagarika