Jumpstarting Ian's Path to Monkhood
Donation protected
When the right conditions come together, karma ripens and bears fruit. To be able to renounce lay life and take up the robes, certain conditions need to be fulfilled, regardless of how strong one’s inclination may be.
This is the dilemma of my dear Dhamma friend Ian, a 23-year-old American, who until recently, just like myself, was a postulant at Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in Malaysia. To realise his aspiration to monkhood, Ian needs to fulfill one last condition though, the absence of which is the only obstacle that prevents him from taking up the robes. Would you like to help Ian fulfil this condition?
Ian needs funds to settle a loan of US $10,000 that helped him meet his daily expenses while he was a student of physics at Tidewater College in the United States. The problem is, ordination as a monk is possible only if one is free from debt. I strongly feel we should help him overcome this obstacle.
How, when, and why did Ian seek out the Dhamma? According to his own reports, as a 16-year-old, he experienced an episode of depression and anxiety. He turned to the internet to look for ways to cure himself and this led him to vipassana meditation. The seed of Dhamma and eventually monkhood was sown.
In 2017, while taking a break from schooling, he attended an intensive 50-day meditation retreat conducted by Ven. Yuttadhammo in Canada. His resolve to become a monk grew even stronger. 
In April 2018 he went to Sri Lanka, staying in different monasteries which offered monastic ordination. But none of these monasteries provided a complete and structured course for the development of monastic skills. Language was also a problem. He said it was difficult to find a forest monastery where the Dhamma is taught in English and where meditation is a priority, until he met Bhante Ariyadhammika, the Sanghanayaka (leader of the community of monks) of SBS Monk Training Centre.

Ian came to SBS and practised together with the monastic community and now feels he has finally found the conditions he was looking for: a teacher learned in the suttas and well-practised in meditation who teaches in English. Moreover, he also noticed that SBS is sustained by an exceptionally supportive lay community.
Considering all of the above, shall we help Ian realise his aspiration to live the holy life at SBS Monk Training Centre? If so, let’s pool our resources to make Ian’s dream come true. If we each contribute according to our means, Ian will quickly be able to settle his debt— faster than his bank clerk can count to 10,000.
Ready, Set… GO (forth)!
Check out further pics of Ian staying at SBS Monk Training Centre here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sasanarakkha/sets/72157669805453257
When the right conditions come together, karma ripens and bears fruit. To be able to renounce lay life and take up the robes, certain conditions need to be fulfilled, regardless of how strong one’s inclination may be.
This is the dilemma of my dear Dhamma friend Ian, a 23-year-old American, who until recently, just like myself, was a postulant at Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in Malaysia. To realise his aspiration to monkhood, Ian needs to fulfill one last condition though, the absence of which is the only obstacle that prevents him from taking up the robes. Would you like to help Ian fulfil this condition?
Ian needs funds to settle a loan of US $10,000 that helped him meet his daily expenses while he was a student of physics at Tidewater College in the United States. The problem is, ordination as a monk is possible only if one is free from debt. I strongly feel we should help him overcome this obstacle.
How, when, and why did Ian seek out the Dhamma? According to his own reports, as a 16-year-old, he experienced an episode of depression and anxiety. He turned to the internet to look for ways to cure himself and this led him to vipassana meditation. The seed of Dhamma and eventually monkhood was sown.
In 2017, while taking a break from schooling, he attended an intensive 50-day meditation retreat conducted by Ven. Yuttadhammo in Canada. His resolve to become a monk grew even stronger. 
In April 2018 he went to Sri Lanka, staying in different monasteries which offered monastic ordination. But none of these monasteries provided a complete and structured course for the development of monastic skills. Language was also a problem. He said it was difficult to find a forest monastery where the Dhamma is taught in English and where meditation is a priority, until he met Bhante Ariyadhammika, the Sanghanayaka (leader of the community of monks) of SBS Monk Training Centre.
 Ian came to SBS and practised together with the monastic community and now feels he has finally found the conditions he was looking for: a teacher learned in the suttas and well-practised in meditation who teaches in English. Moreover, he also noticed that SBS is sustained by an exceptionally supportive lay community.
Considering all of the above, shall we help Ian realise his aspiration to live the holy life at SBS Monk Training Centre? If so, let’s pool our resources to make Ian’s dream come true. If we each contribute according to our means, Ian will quickly be able to settle his debt— faster than his bank clerk can count to 10,000.
Ready, Set… GO (forth)!
Check out further pics of Ian staying at SBS Monk Training Centre here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sasanarakkha/sets/72157669805453257
Organizer
Julien Mazeau
Organizer
Norfolk, VA