Editing New Kadampa Tradition (section)

===Ordination===
The NKT-IKBU reports that it has over 700 monks and nuns.<ref>[http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/a-global-spiritual-community/ ''A Global Spiritual Community'']. NKT-IKBU official website. Retrieved 7 December 2008.</ref>{{better source needed|date=September 2025}} Ordination ceremonies are usually held twice a year in the main NKT Temple at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center in Cumbria (UK), Ulverston. To ordain, one must ask Kelsang Gyatso's permission, and also the permission of his or her parents.<ref>{{harvnb|Waterhouse|1997|p=138}}</ref>

Buddha established both lay and ordained Pratimoksha vows, and established several levels of ordination vows.<ref>Waterhouse, Helen (1997). ''Buddhism in Bath: Adaptation and Authority''. University of Leeds, Department of Theology and Religious Studies. p. 175.</ref> However, in the NKT-IKBU, Kelsang Gyatso established a simplified alternative tradition of ordination with ten vows that summarise the Vinaya,<ref>{{harvnb|Bluck|2006|p= 144}}</ref> and a single ordination ceremony.

The NKT is unusual in having only 10 ordination vows, which are identical for both nuns and monks:<ref>{{harvnb|Waterhouse|1997|p=174}}{{pb}}{{harvnb|Hertog|2018}}</ref>

# abandon killing
# abandon stealing
# abandon sexual activity
# abandon lying and cheating
# abandon taking intoxicants
# practice contentment
# reduce one's desire for worldly pleasures
# abandon engaging in meaningless activities
# maintain the commitments of refuge
# practise the three trainings of pure moral discipline, concentration, and wisdom

In ''The Ordination Handbook'', Kelsang Gyatso described these vows as being easier to integrate into today's society, saying:

{{blockquote|The verbal explanation of the Kadampa ordination is brief – there are just ten commitments – but their practice is very extensive. These ten commitments that you promise to keep are the condensation of the entire lamrim teachings. Although we can finish a verbal explanation of these vows in a few hours, their practice is all-embracing. You should do like this – saying few words but always practising extensively.<ref>Gyatso, Kelsang. (1999). ''The Ordination Handbook of the New Kadampa Tradition''. p. 17.</ref>}}

He also says:

{{blockquote|Western people are well educated; they do not have blind faith but immediately question and try to understand the truth. I cannot pretend with you. We cannot be like a fully ordained monk who has taken 253 vows, but who is not even keeping one. We should never do like this; we need to do everything correctly and purely. The Kadampa ordination solves all these problems. Practically speaking, all the 253 vows explained in the ''Vinaya Sutra'' are included within the ten commitments.<ref>Gyatso, Kelsang. (1999). ''The Ordination Handbook of the New Kadampa Tradition''. p.20.</ref>}}

The ordination tradition of the NKT-IKBU is based on the [[Mahayana]] ''[[Perfection of Wisdom Sutras]]''.<ref name="Gyatso, Kelsang 1999 p. 16">Gyatso, Kelsang. (1999). ''The Ordination Handbook of the New Kadampa Tradition''. p. 16.</ref><ref>Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. p. 146.</ref> Kelsang Gyatso says that when a person is first ordained they receive a [[Rabjung]] (preliminary) ordination; when their renunciation improves and deepens, their ordination naturally transforms into a Getsul ([[sramanera]]) ordination; and when their renunciation becomes "a spontaneous wish to attain nirvana", their ordination naturally transforms into a Gelong ([[bhikkhu]]) ordination.<ref name="Gyatso, Kelsang 1999 p. 16"/> For this reason, Kelsang Gyatso did not require a separate ritual ordination ceremony.<ref>Gyatso, Kelsang. (1999). ''The Ordination Handbook of the New Kadampa Tradition''. p. 20.</ref>

Monks and nuns in the NKT-IKBU abandon the physical signs of a lay person by shaving their head and wearing the maroon and yellow robes of an ordained person. They are given a new name which starts with "Kelsang", since it is traditional for ordinees to receive part of the ordaining master's name (up until his death, this was Kelsang Gyatso). They also engage in a Sojong ceremony twice a month to purify and restore their vows.<ref name="Bluck, R. 2006 p. 146" />

Monastics who break their ordination vows must leave their Centre for a year, with the exception of attending various bigger courses, Celebrations and Festivals. After that year, "with some conditions" they can return but cannot teach or participate in the Teacher Training Program.<ref name="Bluck, R. 2006 p. 146" />

Practitioners who wish to ordain approach their Buddhist teacher when they feel ready, and request formal permission once they have their teacher's consent. They may decide to live in one of the NKT-IKBU's many Buddhist centres, but this is not a requirement. They are, in general, not financially provided for by the NKT-IKBU, and many are encouraged to seek unemployment benefits. If they live in an NKT-IKBU Dharma centre, they still have to pay rent for their accommodation and pay for meals and the spiritual programs. To finance this, some have part-time or full-time work.<ref>{{harvnb|Waterhouse|1997|pp=174–8}}</ref><ref name="Bluck, R. 2006 p. 146">Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. {{ISBN|0-415-39515-1}}. p. 146.</ref> According to Belither, "a few people are sponsored because of their NKT work but others are on 'extended working visits' or work locally, and some are legitimately on employment benefit."<ref>Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. {{ISBN|0-415-39515-1}}. p. 147.</ref> When working, they may wear ordinary clothes if more convenient, and typically change out of robes to attend benefits appointments.<ref name="Bluck, R. 2006 p. 146"/><ref>{{harvnb|Waterhouse|1997|p=175}}</ref>