The Vow for being Temporary Novice-Monk

Today we are here

To make our vow

Being novice-monk

Follow Buddha’s words

 

Will take a pure life

With a noble mind

And an altruistic heart

For a happy life

 

Follow the Buddha

Who has full wisdom

Follow the Dharma

To find out the Truth

 

Follow the Sangha

Who has the pure mind

And keep well Precepts

People's exemplary

 

Today we are here

To shave our hair

For temporary

Being a novice-monk

 

Unrestraint people

Think of themselves

We’re little boys

But strongly effect

 

Even a short time

Leaving home sweet

Staying in temple

As a monk-novice

 

Take the self-caring

Without mom and dad

It’s not easy

But will make us strong

 

We’ll follow the Rules

And the timetable

What’s monk should be

No more pampered

 

We’ll keep well

Our looking

Be calm and dread

In all the time

 

Eating, sleeping

Chanting, learning

All in mindful

No joke, no talk

 

Joining Shanga

We’re family

Love in harmony

Make this time is sweet

 

Learning Dharma

Feeding good heart

Living in the Rules

For our monkhood

 

When getting home

Will be the good kids

Virtue and knowledge

For society.

 

Moral citizens

Gifts for the nation

Drive people to good

By spreading Dharma

 

To repay the kind

Of parent, people

Who supports our life

Who gives us knowledge

 

This is our vow

Buddha please takes it

Your great witness

Keep us up today.

Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh