Samanera

A sāmaṇera (Pali; Sanskrit: 𑀰𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑀡𑁂𑀭, romanized: śrāmaṇera) is a novice male monastic in Buddhism. This term refers to young boys who join the monastic community and begin their training to live a life guided by Buddhist teachings.

In many Buddhist traditions, becoming a sāmaṇera is an important step for those who wish to study and practice deeply. It allows young men to learn from experienced monks and follow a structured path of learning and spiritual growth.

A novice female monastic is called a sāmaṇerī, with similar names in Sanskrit such as śrāmaṇerī or śrāmaṇerikā. Both roles are valued in supporting the larger monastic community and helping to keep Buddhist traditions alive.

Etymology

The word sāmaṇera comes from an old term that means "small or young ascetic practitioner". It refers to someone who has taken the first important promises but not the full set of promises in some Buddhist traditions in South and Southeast Asia. These individuals do not follow all the special rules or join certain meetings on particular days.

The feminine form of this word in the ancient language is śrāmaṇerikā.

History

In the stories of Buddhism from South Asia, when the Buddha's son Rāhula was seven years old, he asked to join the Buddha's group. The Buddha asked Sariputta to help Rāhula become the first sāmaṇera, which is a young person who wants to learn to live as a monk.

Later, when the king found out that his grandson and other young men from the royal family wanted to join, he asked the Buddha to only allow young people to join if their parents or guardians agreed. The Buddha agreed to this rule, and it also applied to spouses of those who wanted to become monks or nuns.

Overview

Main article: Vinaya

In the Vinaya, which is a set of rules for Buddhist monks and nuns, young boys under 20 can join as a sāmaṇera. They follow ten important rules, such as not hurting any living thing, not lying, and not taking things that aren’t theirs. These young boys spend time learning and serving in religious communities while still going to school. In some places, monks have different rules and ways of living.

The ten rules sāmaṇeras follow include staying away from harmful actions, avoiding lies, and not using bad substances. They also avoid luxury items and certain types of entertainment. These rules help guide their path toward becoming full monks later.

Transition to full ordination

After a year or when they turn 20, a sāmaṇera may be ready for a special ceremony called upasampada. This ceremony is the next step to becoming a full monk, known as a bhikṣu. Some monasteries ask people to spend time as a novice first, to get ready and learn more about being a monk.

Ordination of women

Main article: Bhikkhunī

In Buddhism, young women can start as novice nuns. This step is led by monks, and sometimes by other nuns. These novice nuns follow special rules called the Ten Precepts to guide their behavior.

After waiting a year or turning 20, a novice nun may become a full nun, known as a bhikṣuṇī. The way this happens and the rules they follow can differ based on the tradition of Buddhism they are part of.

In Myanmar

In Myanmar (Burma), young Buddhist boys often become sāmaṇeras for a period of time. This is part of a special tradition called shinbyu, which is one of the important Twelve Auspicious Rites in Burmese culture. In 2016, there were 252,962 sāmaṇeras in Myanmar.

Burmese sāmaṇeras by region, 2016

1. Shan State 57,850 (22.9%)
2. Mandalay Region 47,217 (18.7%)
3. Yangon Region 36,654 (14.5%)
4. Sagaing Region 25,050 (9.90%)
5. Bago Region 18,032 (7.13%)
6. Ayeyarwady Region 15,377 (6.08%)
7. Magwe Region 13,654 (5.40%)
8. Mon State 13,466 (5.32%)
9. Rakhine State 6,395 (2.53%)
10. Kayin State 5,967 (2.36%)
11. Naypyitaw 5,713 (2.26%)
12. Kachin State 3,121 (1.23%)
13. Tanintharyi Region 3,009 (1.19%)
14. Kayah State 1,300 (0.51%)
15. Chin State 157 (0.06%)