Two Sons Leave the Monastery for the World

In the early morning, mist hung low over the spacious temple courtyard. The resonant sound of the bell stirred the leaves of the ancient star trees. A father in faded clothes stood bewildered before the triple gate, his eyes fixed on his two sons who had just removed their brown robes and put on layperson’s clothing. Years ago, they had entered the monastery with bright faith; now they walked out slowly, dust from the worldly life clinging to their shoulders.

The father lived in a distant countryside village. He had heard that this famous and grand temple attracted many people seeking ordination. His two sons were among them, eagerly shaving their heads to follow the Buddha. When they first arrived, they were so gentle and lovely that he wanted only to hold them close, bowing in gratitude without tiring. However, lacking sufficient merit for monastic life, impulsiveness overwhelmed their ideals. Within a few years, they left together like a wave of people abandoning the path—sometimes twenty or thirty leaving at once.

Standing before his father, the old man felt torn inside: loving his children yet heartbroken by their transformation. He murmured to himself, wondering if he had made a mistake by letting them become monks when they lacked the right conditions. Turning to the elder son, his voice choked with emotion, he asked, “Why did you leave the monastery? You used to be as holy as saints.”

“Leave me alone, Dad,” the son replied, frowning with hands in his pockets, his tone harsh and defiant. “It was boring there. I don’t like it anymore.”

The father burst into tears, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, then turned to the younger son. “Your mother always told you to complete your practice. Why are you both back?”

“Forget it, Dad,” the youngest answered with a stubborn face, showing no remorse. “I couldn’t handle the discipline. Out here is more free.”

The father shook his head, his heart tightening. Since leaving the monastery, the brothers had stopped listening to their parents, speaking rudely and working carelessly. The merit gained from years of practice plummeted, and their dignity vanished completely. Once obedient novice monks, they became idle young men, devoid of seriousness.

The turning point came when the father lamented to his neighbors. Upon entering the order, his sons had been like little saints; now in the world, they refused to listen, becoming unruly and uncontrollable. This change revealed that hasty ordination harms both the individual and the Dharma. Losing merit and dignity makes it difficult to regain the human form suitable for monastic life in future rebirths.

He brought his sons home, but they continued to live loosely. Villagers whispered, and some criticized the Buddha's teachings because they saw practitioners quitting so easily. The father regretted deeply day and night, but it was too late. The two gradually lost their character and opportunities for practice, becoming ordinary worldly beings, far removed from the gentle figures they once were in the robes of the Sangha.

The Meaning of the Story

Ordination requires careful consideration of willpower, determination, and sufficient blessings from merit. Acting on impulse to become a monk, then giving up, diminishes one’s merit, destroys dignity, and can even harm the Buddha's teachings. It is better not to ordain at all than to practice half-heartedly and return to lay life, carrying heavy karma for the future.