What is Monasticm?
Monasticism is living life in preparation for or under religious vows. The goal of life in the view of Vedanta is to realize our true nature as one with God. Each person must decide what lifestyle will best enable him or her to work efficiently and sincerely toward this goal. The path of the lay person usually involves married life. The individuals within the family strive to serve God in each other. Lay people serve society by raising children with sound values and by contributing through their work life. They must juggle the priorities of job, family, and spiritual life and incorporate their spiritual practice into their jobs and family lives.The path of the monastic involves renouncing the pleasures of family life and adopting vows of celibacy.
In order to be able to give more focus directly to spiritual practices. Many spiritual traditions have monastics, including Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian. In the tradition of the Ramakrishna Order the purpose of monastic life is to work out one’s own liberation and to train oneself to do good to the world, along the lines laid down by Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.
Requisites for joining the Ramakrishna Order
One aspiring to be a formal member of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks must be under 30 years of age, have at least a degree, be reasonably healthy and pass a physical exam. Absolute celibacy, burning renunciation, obedience to seniors and readiness to practise all the 4 yogas as depicted by Swami Vivekananda either singly or totally according to the circumstances he is placed in, are required. Those who are desirous of joining may contact any of the Ramakrishna Centres either in India or abroad.
Life in the Ramakrishna Order
To satisfy that curiosity, the following passages, with some minor modifications, are quoted from a booklet (For Enquirers About Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Second revised edition, pp. 46-50. Publishers: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, India) by Swami Tapasyananda, one of the Ramakrishna Orders past Vice-Presidents.
In monastic life, as in community life, the individual is participating in the general group consciousness and is therefore propped up or pulled down by that consciousness as the case may be, according to the standard of excellence prevailing in the group. The new self-consciousness of being the member of a group of elite, together with a host of inhibitions like vows, traditions, dress, association and so on, raises a solid barrier of protection behind which even one comparatively weak can operate with sure chances of success, provided one is sincere.
Bhakti-yoga, Jnana-yoga, Raja-yoga and Karma-yoga (in other words, the path of devotion, the path of philosophical inquiry, the path of meditation, and the path of right action), all form the recognized Sadhanas of the Order. But work has special importance, because according to the rules laid down by Swami Vivekananda, every member, whatever his predilections, must do some work in the service of Sri Ramakrishna. Work cannot therefore be avoided in the name of a pseudo-spirituality, and those who are of that mentality will find themselves misfits in the Order.
An organization, like a State, however, requires not only geniuses but also ordinary folks, not only leaders but also followers. In the Order of Sri Ramakrishna all are therefore welcome, talented and highly qualified persons as also those who are not extraordinary, provided that they are attracted by the idea of living a life of renunciation and service. Renunciation implies the eschewal of personal ambitions, family relations, possessions, luxury and sex. An individual can practice renunciation only if the urges mentioned before find fulfillment in the higher satisfaction which devotional life offers.
Service implies the dedication of one’s energies and capacities to the works of the Order conceiving it as a symbol of Sri Ramakrishna. Spiritual talents are therefore more important than worldly abilities, but by the very nature and object of the Order a harmonious combination of both is the ideal.
Monastic life, therefore, offers to persons having the required temperament, the best opportunity of developing their capacities and of living their lives in a way that will be of maximum benefit to themselves and the world at large. The conditions of life in the Order are such that any one with the right temperament can easily adjust himself to them.
In the matter of food, clothing and housing, no doubt, simplicity is the rule, but conditions are not prohibitively austere. Middle class standards obtaining in the country are generally observed in these matters in the Math (monastery). Though the monks have no salaries or any other kind of personal income, all their legitimate needs are met by the institution (Order). The monastic vow of poverty therefore does not mean penury and indigence. So also obedience and discipline, while being fundamental in the monastic code of conduct, are not allowed to degenerate into servility and abjectness. While personal ambition has no place, scope for great achievements is open to persons of ability and courage.
Swami Vivekananda lived and preached at a time when India was yet in political bondage. Young men were, therefore, naturally engaged in the struggle for political freedom in the belief that it would solve all our problems. After political independence was attained, we have now come to understand that it has no meaning without economic independence, and the country is, therefore, struggling for that through planning and industrialization. But sooner or later it will be realized that without moral, religious and spiritual freedom—freedom from the animal in man—even economic freedom can offer no solace to the people. It is desirable that at least the more thoughtful sections in the country are prepared to face this disillusionment sufficiently early.
For the attainment of this spiritual freedom the country requires a huge army of workers cast in the mold that Swami Vivekananda has prepared through the harmonious combination of Jnana-yoga, Bhakti-yoga, Raja-yoga, and Karma-yoga. The monastic Order is the great legacy he has left to posterity for accomplishing this purpose. Now that the country is independent, there are no patriotic inhibitions standing in the way of the youth taking to a life of spiritual life and service. It is up to them to respond to the call of Swami Vivekananda, join the Order in large numbers and get their lives molded for special service in India and abroad.
June 12, 2007 at 9:47 am
Is it possible for a woman to become a monk?
February 9, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Respected SIR,
I am a Dentist (BDS) by profession. The very desire to devote my life in God had been since my childhood. Unfortunately, neither was someone to guide me nor was I able to see any path. In someway or the other, Ramkrishna Mission has definetely influenced me. Also, during my school life once, I participated in an Debate competition in RK Mission premises. As I see myself in the end, I find every desire, lust & quest for victory, worthless.
Sir, please guide me to join you as a Monk if you think I am worth it.
August 22, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I am 27 with graduation on computer application. I want to join this holy organization as monk. pls tell me about the processes to join ramkrishna mission.where should i contact for that?
October 28, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Please contact any centers of Sri Ramakrishna Math or Mission around the globe where you can meet and talk to an initiated sannyasi of Ramakrishna order. You will be provided with adequate guidance. Girls and ladies can contact Sri Sarada Math.
June 8, 2009 at 9:36 am
Sir,
I am 25 years old, i’m really desperated in life for doing this worldly work, which i am not intersted in doing. I inspired by thoughts of sri Gurumahraj and swamiji. I want to join for ramakrishna order as a monk. Whom to contact?
waiting for reply,
Harsha.
jai sriramakrishna
August 4, 2009 at 8:22 am
Hello Swamiji,
I am 26 years old, I had finished my MCA degree in 2008 and past one year i worked in software company…i dont like this life. So i want to spend my hole life in an useful way. I hope the ramakrishna mission is suitable for me…So please tell me the way ho can i join…please
August 18, 2009 at 8:15 am
I doing my final year BCA i want know and realise the Bramhan and i want to be Bramha Jnani so pis help me
September 25, 2009 at 4:16 pm
myself is aniruddha i m doing mba i am thinking to spend my life in search of god and become sanyasi but i have my parents responsiblity i m literally confuse what to do i want to ask that is there some midway between this two roots?give me a way so that i can do both in my life
October 5, 2009 at 6:53 am
Dear Aniruiddha,
Namaste.
Kindly send us your postal address, etc so that we can guide you to our nearest centre.
You can serve there in your spare time.
Thanking you,
With prayers & best wishes,
Yours in the Lord, Swami Raghaveshananda (Secretary) .
comment-reply@wordpress.com wrote:
September 25, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Sir,
Greetings. I have read several publications from Ramakrishna Math especially those by Swami Vivekanandha, but when i get some doubts or clarity, i dnt know to whom i should discuss with. Is it possible to contact someone through mail and send my queries. I am presently in Rome where I am not aware of any Ramakrishna Maths ashram.
October 5, 2009 at 7:01 am
Dear Sri Subramanian,
Namaste.
You are welcome to send your queries through email but there may be some delay in replying. Only you should have some patience.
Thanking you,
With prayers & best wishes,
Yours in the Lord,
Swami Raghaveshananda (Secretary)
comment-reply@wordpress.com wrote:
September 26, 2009 at 7:05 pm
RESPECTED SIR,
I M MANAGEMENT GRADUATE
WANT TO KNOW PROCEDURE OF JOING MATH ,
WANT TO WORK WITH MATH BY ABILITY OF MYSELF
October 5, 2009 at 6:51 am
Dear Sri Dheerendra,
Namaste.
Kindly send us your postal address, etc so that we can guide you to our nearest centre for further guidance.
Thanking you, With prayers & best wishes,
Yours in the Lord, Swami Raghaveshananda (Secretary)
comment-reply@wordpress.com wrote:
September 26, 2009 at 7:06 pm
SIR PLEASE REPLY ON MY ID
October 4, 2009 at 12:56 am
Respected Maharaj,
I am 28 yr. , male.I was initiated before 12 yr.I want to join order but because of some reason and family responsibilities i can’t join now , I don’t think that i have all qualities to become monk but i love Shree shree Thakur and Mataji more than my father and mother and I don’t like marriage life.I had completed my engineering(B.E.) degree and now doing job.
October 13, 2009 at 8:13 am
Sir,
I want to convert to monk.I want to join ramkrishna math, please tell me the details how to join the nearby ramkrishna math.
October 22, 2009 at 5:20 am
Dear Hemant,
Namaste.
Kindly provide us with some more details about you.
Also let us know your complete address so that we may be able to guide you to the nearest Ramarkishna Math centre.
With prayers & best wishes,
November 6, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I am B.Tech(Computer Science) engineer from B.I.T Ranchi. I want to join the Ramkrishna Mission as a teacher in the Kolkata center. From my childhood I have been influenced by Swami Vivekanada and want to lead a simple life, working towards the goal of self realization. I am interested in Indian philosophy and want to further explore it. I want to join the Ramkrishna Institute of Culture as a teacher. Is there any vacancy in the Institute of Culture or any Ramkrishna Mision school in Kolkata? I would greatly appreciate your response.
Thanks
November 29, 2009 at 4:23 am
Dear Sir :
suggest the age bar for entry in the RKM as a monk should be lifted a little to say around 45,other factors remaining constant.There may be qualified and good people watiing in the anvil who can augment this pious movement in a great way who otherwise may be deprived in doing so from inside the organization.
Namaskar
December 4, 2009 at 6:03 am
Dear Sri. Ramangshu,
Namamste.
Your suggestion has been forwarded to the trustees of the Ramakrishna Math & Mission for consideration.
Thanking you,
Yours in the Lord,
Swami Raghaveshananda
December 3, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Dear Swamiji,
I sent you all my love, kindness, respect and gratitude for the vedantic truth you’re sending into the world!!!
From a humble student,
Philippe
December 21, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I am 23 with graduation on computer science and engineering. I want to join this holy organization as monk. pls tell me about the processes to join ramkrishna mission.where should i contact for that?