Become a Sannyasi
Application form for Sannyasa Within ISKCON
Ministry for Sannyasa Services
APPLICATION FOR SANNYASA
Please fill in the following information and send to:
Ministry for Sannyasa Services c/o ISKCON Radhadesh Château de Petite Somme B-6940 Septon Durbuy Belgium, Or to: Prahladananda.swami@pamho.net Please use separate paper from the form to answer longer questions where necessary (on A4 size preferably).
GENERAL INFORMATION
|
Spiritual Name |
|
|
Legal Name |
|
|
Date of Birth |
Day: Month: Year: |
|
Place of birth |
|
|
Country of birth |
|
|
Time of birth |
|
|
Address |
|
|
E-mail address |
|
|
Legal Nationality |
|
|
Legal Residency |
|
|
Telephone |
|
|
Fax |
|
SPIRITUAL INFORMATION:
|
Year joined the movement |
| ||
|
Years of initiation Spiritual master Years of re-initiation Spiritual master (if not currently a member of ISKCON state which movement he belongs to: |
1st: |
2nd: |
Sannyasa: |
|
|
|
| |
|
1st: |
2nd: |
Sannyasa: | |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |||
|
Proposed sannyasa guru |
| ||
|
Asking to take sannyasa in how many years |
| ||
GBC
|
Recommending GBC (s) |
|
|
Have signed an oath of loyalty to GBC |
1yes, (please send to return address) 1 |
FAMILY
Maritalstatus |
1never married |
1brahmacari |
1married |
1divorced |
1separated | |||||||
|
|
How long have you been a brahmacari
|
Year of marriage |
Year of divorce* |
Year separated | ||||||||
Wife**Name |
Address |
Date of birth |
Service/ Occupation | |||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||
ChildrenNames |
sex |
ages |
In school |
Addresses |
Occupation<o:p></o:p> |
Merital status<o:p></o:p> | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
How are wife and children supported? ... ..
What will be their support after you take sannyasa? .. . * Please enclose legal separation papers
* * Please enclose written statement by wife that she is in agreement that her husband take sannyasa
SCRIPTUAL TESTS PASSED:
|
Bhakti sastri |
1yes, (please send photo copy of diploma to return address) |
|
Other |
|
SERVICE: (use separate paper if there is not enough room)
Current service within ISKCON .. ... What is your preaching experience? (please mention time periods) .
What are your future preaching plans? .. . . . . . .
What were some of the responsible positions that you have held in ISKCON?
(please mention time periods) .. ..
What is your experience in leading and training brahmacharis?
! Enclose a separate letter with a resume detailing your devotional career in ISKCON or other similar spiritual organizations.
! Enclose a separate letter explaining your reasons for wanting to take sannyasa.
! Please submit letters of recommendation from 5 senior ISKCON devotees (i.e. sannyasis, GBCs, temple presidents etc.)
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION:
Criminal record |
Felonies which one had to serve more than one year in jail 1no 1yes |
|
Ever asked to leave a temple because of child molestation? 1no 1yes
| |
|
Did you ever leave the movement? 1no 1yes When and for how long? | |
|
Have you broken the regulative principles within the last 10 years? 1no 1yes |
Please make sure to enclose the following:
r two photos of yourself.
r a signed oath of loyalty to ISKCON.
r legal separation papers from the wife.
r a written statement by the wife that she is in agreement of your taking sannyasa.
r photo copy of Bhakti Sastri diploma.
r a separate letter with a resume detailing your devotional career in ISKCON or other similar spiritual organizations.
r a separate letter explaining your reasons for wanting to take sannyasa.
r Please submit the names of 10 senior ISKCON devotees (i.e. sannyasis, GBC's, temple presidents etc.) who can give an assessment of your qualifications to take sannyasa. (Please send their names, mailing addresses and e-mail addresses)
r Endorsements local GBC & managerial body.
for Sannyasa Candidacy as of 1997
G.B.C. Resolutions 1975
Resolved: Method of initiating sannyasi:
Each year at Gaur Purnima festival, any GBC member can nominate a man from his zone for sannyasa.
G.B.C. Resolutions 1979
5. That the qualifications of a Sannyasi are to be listed, and all candidates are to be examined on the basis of these qualifications before their names are accepted on the list of candidates for Sannyas.
GBC Rules of Order
The Qualifications for Sannyasa:
A. How free is he from sex desire?
1. How long has he been a Brahmacari?
2. How long has he been living away from his wife?
B. What is his preaching record?
Is it demonstrated his ability to preach strongly? Is he a preaching leader?
Has be been doing this for a respectable amount of time?
C. Is he very strict in his personal conduct? Is he beyond suspicion?
D. Is he philosophically strong?
E. Is he willing to accept fully the authority of the GBC and work under the auspices of the GBC?.
F. Does he have the proper quality of leadership to train and lead brahmacaries who are under his direction?
G. Is he self-reliant?
Has he the ability to keep himself continuously engaged in some way which contribute positively to our preaching work?.
H. Is the field of his preaching after taking Sannyasa clear and acceptable to the GBC or other authorities?
57. That a grhastha or vanaprastha should not take the sannyasa order, unless:
a. the wife is in agreement by writing, and all necessary legal separation papers
are provided whenever possible.
b. All of the daughters are married or financially independent or of legal majority age
c. The sons are self-supporting, or of majority age, and the father has no further
legal responsibility
d. He has arranged financial support for the wife if there are no grown sons or sons-in-law who have agreed to provide support; and
e. He agrees that, in principle, ISKCON is not responsible for such support or arrangements.
That a brahmacari be considered for sannyasa only if he has actually strictly followed his vows for at least ten years and is at least forty years old.
In exceptional cases, a man may be awarded sannyasa before the age of forty by a 2/3 majority vote of the GBC Body. (now 4/5 vote)
To take sannyasa at the age of 50, one must have been on a waiting list for two years:
! at 45, three years;
! at 40, four years, and
! at 35, five years.