Reflections on Temporary Lay Monasticism in Vajrayāna Communities

This speaker offers reflections on the theg chen gso sbyong (Mahāyāna Poṣadha) ritual as a technology of temporary lay monasticism practiced across the Tibeto‑Himalayan region and in communities of converts. Although the vows of the ritual closely mirror the one‑day lay vows of the Prātimokṣa, the gso sbyong uniquely allows both lay practitioners and fully ordained monastics to receive and practice the vows together. Drawing on textual analysis and commentary from teachers such as Trijiang Rinpoche and Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, the speaker considers how the ritual temporarily suspends the hierarchical logic of Prātimokṣa ranking, creating a sanctioned space in which monastic and lay boundaries are blurred. In some cases, lay practitioners holding the gso sbyong may even sleep in monastery prayer halls, accessing spaces normally restricted to monastics. These reflections highlight how the ritual functions as a “great equalizer,” opening monastic spaces to laypeople and imbuing Śrāvakayāna vows with the Mahāyāna bodhisattva spirit.