All That is Necessary to be a Bodhisattva is to Want to be One
Today, I am taking Bodhisattva vows. The ceremony will be conducted by Shinzen Young and Soryu Forall. Shinzen Young originally inspired me to start a daily meditation practice with a talk he gave at Google, Divide and Conquer: How the Essence of Mindfulness Parallels the Nuts and Bolts of Science. His blog also alerted me to the Center for Mindful Learning’s residential program, now known as the Monastic Academy. Soryu Forall is the founder and head teacher at the Monastic Academy, and my primary teacher. I will be taking the vows alongside my friends, Harrison Heyl, Steven Dee (also known by his internet handle, mrdomino), and Christopher Russell.
The ceremony is a lay ordination ceremony. It is deeply influenced by Buddhist tradition, but also adapted to our culture by Shinzen Young (and our monastic tradition with the help of Soryu Forall). We will take the Five Precepts, and the four Bodhisattva vows. We have also all elected to take dharma or spiritual names. Moreover, since we are part of the Monastic Academy, we will receive brown shawls that signify our commitment.
