Pujari  - Priests

The Brahmajala Priest vows are intended to be universal. They are both rigorous and demanding and they are also ultimately liberating. Because these vows ask much of the person who is receiving them, they must be studied and clarified carefully by those who are called to them. In greater detail, the five vows are:

• Vow of simplicity – A vow of restraint, which means priests are mindful of their actions, consumptions and lifestyle.
• Vow of service – Following the guidance of seniors and teachers, priests vow to give themselves freely.
• Vow of stability – This vow requires that priests have completed major life changes in order to give themselves wholeheartedly to their vows.
• Vow of selflessness – The realization and actualization of one’s life as the life of all beings, rather than a personal entity.
• Vow to aspire to the Buddha way – To act as a model of the manifestation of the moral and ethical teachings of the Buddha, manifesting wisdom and compassion in all actions.

Brahmajala ordination entails a lifetime commitment to these vows. Priest candidates need to personally embrace these vows, investigating their internal motivations and possible limitations within the guidelines that the vows provide. Priests make the ultimate visible commitment to the teacher, the teachings and practices of the Sangha. Priests have the additional responsibility to perform some of the advance Buddhist ceremonies, and are encouraged to enter the service of the community in an interactive role. The first requirement is that Priests should dedicate all of their extra energy to helping the Zen community by volunteering in every capacity required there; and must have the approval of the Zen center’s Guiding Teacher.

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