Episode #269: Why Did Ashin Sarana Disrobe?
"’Oh, I'm going to disrobe!’ And all of my body would be shaking. There were times when I was like, ‘Am I really going to do this?! No, that's not possible!!’"
Jansen Stovicek was born in the Czech Republic. He became a Buddhist monk and lived for many years in Myanmar, where he was known as Ashin Sarana. His spiritual journey began as an early fascination with magic, eventually leading to a Zen monastery, to taking novice robes in Sri Lanka, and finally culminating in full bhikkhu ordination in Myanmar, where he gained some fame and a large Facebook following (a story that can be heard in full in an earlier podcast). Now a student of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at a university in the United States, Jansen shares his thoughts and feelings about the journey that led him to his life-changing decision to disrobe.
His story is one of profound commitment to the monastic path, deep internal conflict, and the challenges of maintaining a strict, Buddhist monk’s lifestyle in the West. His fateful decision was set in motion by the military coup in Myanmar in 2021. At that time, Ashin Sarana was not shy about speaking out against the military’s aggression, and did so at length in an extended podcast discussion. After that was published, he learned he had been placed on a secret surveillance list by the Burmese military, making it unsafe for him to continue his monastic life in Myanmar, and so he was forced to leave the country. He spent three months in Vietnam, practicing and teaching Dhamma while searching for a place to establish a monastery. Despite his efforts, he was unable to find a suitable location.
Eventually, U Sarana settled in the US to pursue his studies. But he faced many challenges as a monk who strictly adhered to the "91,805,036,000 rules of ancient Buddhist commentaries and Burmese traditions" that governed nearly every action and decision in life. And without the required personal and material support, it became nearly impossible to continue to stay in robes. Firstly, he could not find a monastery in the U.S. that would accommodate his adherence to all the rules. "I wasn't allowed [by those rules] to stay in a Buddhist monastery if a monk bought it with his own money, or if a monk repaired it with his own money. This removes basically 95% of monasteries in the U.S.," Jansen explains.
In addition to the problem of where to stay, he faced social complications within the Burmese diaspora. His popularity as a monk, and the support he received from lay Burmese, had apparently created tensions with some senior monks who, he explains, were concerned that their authority might be challenged. Despite his efforts to resolve these issues, the combination of financial burdens, social pressures, and the lack of a suitable monastery ultimately led him to the difficult decision to disrobe. Beyond these challenges, his decision caused an emotional upheaval not just because of the personal and spiritual implications, but also because some lay followers who had supported him throughout his monastic life were very critical of his decision, and in a public way.
Jansen acknowledges that his path might have been different if the coup had not occurred, as he had originally planned to continue his journey to enlightenment at the monastery of Sayadaw U Yewata at Pa Auk Monastery in northeastern Myanmar. But in spite of that, he does not blame the coup for his decision. “If there was no coup in Myanmar, I would still be a monk. But… I do not like to search for causes this way, because we can always find somebody's fault. I think it's better to go back to ourselves. So it's me; I have made my own decision to disrobe. I am fully responsible for that, whatever the reasons, and again, I told you just a few of them, not all of them. I want to maintain my privacy. But whatever were those reasons, I disrobed because I wanted to, and nobody else should ever be found guilty.”
However, he does mention that some longtime lay supporters did not offer their assistance so readily when he came to the US, as they had when he lived in Myanmar. He attributes this to the fact that his steadfast adherence to those extremely strict monastic rules was not so appreciated, and it clashed with the expectations and norms of monasteries and monk behaviors in the US. "It's very hard for laypeople to deal with monks with loving kindness if the monks follow all of the rules. But it's essential," he explains. Jansen points out that when lay supporters cannot fully support a monk who so strictly follows the Vinaya, it makes it challenging, in turn, for that monk to live the monastic life in the way they believe is proper, or even teach the Dhamma. He hopes for better relations between monks and laypeople in the West as Buddhism and monasticism continue to try and find their place here, and encourages laypeople to support monks who adhere to the strict rules rather than criticize them for their discipline.
After announcing his decision to disrobe, Jansen did receive last-minute offers from some donors hoping to enable him to stay a monk and live as he required. This included financial support, a place to stay, and even an attendant to help him as needed. However, he felt that these offers came from a place of fear rather than genuine support. "I didn't mean to find a place to stay by saying I’m going to disrobe. Again, I don't live that way! I don't threaten people to get things," Jansen asserts. So he refused those offers even though they would have allowed him to continue his life as a monk in the United States.
Even the disrobing process, itself, was not without its challenges. Jansen describes a particularly painful experience when a monk he had hoped would assist him in disrobing refused, and instead criticized his decision. This experience, he says, contributed to his vow to never return to the monkhood again. Moreover, he is firm in his belief that disrobing is not a moral failing, that monks should respect when fellow monastics decide to take this route, and that one can continue to follow the Buddha’s teachings throughout life as a layperson. He did finally receive support from a senior monk to help him disrobe, which was delivered with care and compassion. For Jansen, this was a source of great comfort, and he is grateful for that kindness.
Since disrobing, Jansen has found solace in the continued support from members of his community, which has helped him transition from monkhood to lay life with relative ease. He appreciates the ability to take things slowly, allowing himself time to adjust to the differences and new decision-making processes that come with living as a layperson. Jansen also speaks with a sense of joy about the simple pleasures of everyday life, tasks that may seem mundane to others but which now bring him a sense of satisfaction and peace. Whether it's cooking, tidying up, or learning to skateboard, he finds happiness in these small activities, which contrast sharply with the "90 billion rules" he once followed as a monk.
Despite the significant changes in his life, Jansen remains deeply committed to the teachings of the Buddha. Those past criticisms do not deter him from his path; instead, it has only strengthened his resolve. "I'm happy with my choice. I continue teaching Dhamma," he says. "I'm continuing all my projects. I did not remove any of my Dhamma projects at all!" His dedication to vipassana meditation also remains unwavering, and he continues to guide others on their spiritual path, even as he navigates his own journey as a layperson.
One area where Jansen wishes to retain some sense of privacy is about his personal life and his relationship status, as he believes that discussing such matters publicly holds no value and can lead to unnecessary complications. "If I have a partner, people will say I had that partner before I disrobed and [that] I actually disrobed because of this partner," Jansen explains. "If I do not have a partner, then people will say, ‘Well, you don't have a partner, and that means you're searching for one.’"
With no plans to return to the monkhood, Jansen has ambitious goals for the future. He hopes to make enough money to support Burmese monks by building monasteries in the U.S. or Europe and providing them with the resources they need to spread Dhamma in the West. Jansen believes that being a layperson will make it easier to achieve these goals, and he remains dedicated to advancing his understanding of Dhamma and vipassana. He encourages Burmese monks and nuns who are in need of support to contact him.
Jansen ends his reflections by expressing deep gratitude for his time in Myanmar. He emphasizes his continued support for the National Unity Government (NUG) and the democratic movement in Myanmar, wishing for the country's swift liberation from the military regime's oppression. “I am absolutely, eternally indebted to Myanmar, to Myanmar people, to Myanmar Buddhism, to the great masters of Myanmar. Very, very thankful to them!” Jansen exclaims. “I admit that I believe that the only country in the world where Buddhism is truly thriving, is Myanmar, believe it or not, despite, of course, the political unrest. And I definitely would like to encourage everyone to support the democratic movement, to support the NUG in Myanmar, because [they] support reason and they support freedom, and Buddhism is reason and Buddhism is freedom.”