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Venerable Deokhyo, a monk from Tanzania who received the novice monk precepts (sami-gye). / Courtesy of Jogye Order

For the first time in South Korea's history, a Buddhist monk of African origin has emerged. While he has not yet received the full monastic ordination (upasampada), he has taken the preliminary novice precepts (sami-gye) and is expected to become an officially ordained monk of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in four years.

The Jogye Order announced on the 15th that Venerable Deokhyo, 22, a Tanzanian national whose birth name is Jimmy John Mwakatumbula, received the novice precepts at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 13th.

Jikji Temple, the head temple of the 8th district of the Jogye Order, held the completion ceremony for the 71st novice ordination training session on the 13th. At the event, 33 practitioners, including 22 male novices such as Venerable Deokhyo and 11 female novices, received their novice precepts.

Venerable Deokhyo previously studied at the Borigaram Agriculture and Technical College, which was established in Tanzania by the Jogye Order. After encountering Buddhism at the school's dharma hall and building ties with Korean monks, he resolved to enter the Buddhist priesthood, subsequently studying the Korean language and Buddhist teachings to prepare for his practice.

He shaved his head and began his life as a postulant (haengja) at Baegyang Temple in April, and by receiving the novice precepts through this training program, he has taken the next step on his monastic journey. The novice ordination ceremony marks the rite where a male novice monk (sramenera) receives the precepts he must uphold. To become a fully ordained monk (bhikkhu), candidates must complete a four-year curriculum at an educational institution recognized by the order, such as a traditional monastic college (gangwon) or the basic meditation hall (kibon seonwon), before taking the full precepts.

Upon receiving the novice precepts, Venerable Deokhyo shared his aspirations, saying, "People in Tanzania are not very familiar with meditation. I want to introduce them to meditation and the teachings of the Buddha."

                                                                                                        Hwang Ui-joong