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Before Becoming Dhammadāyāda A Sudden Turning Point of Life Each person has his own varied primary motive or inspiration in making the decision to attend the Dhammadāyāda Training Courses. Dhammadāyādas come from all walks of life. They are university students, government officials and businessmen, etc. Some have made a sudden change of life because of a noble friend persuading them to participate in the courses. Many become interested after seeing the advertising boards inside the universities and from the exhibit of PATH OF PROGRESS as well as other forms of publicity. Dhammadāyāda participants range from 15 to 35 years old, are different in age and thought. They have acquired a variety of inspirations according of their ways of live; but after undergoing the Dhammadāyāda training everyone develops a most useful outlook. Physical Training in Preparation for Mental Training In the beginning of the summer of 1985, there was a sharp increase in Dhammadāyāda participants to 938 persons, necessitating changes in methodology and training techniques. First of all, the school compound moved from the Dhammakāya Temple to an 800-acre plot of land behind the Temple. A course similar to military training has also been added to the curriculum. This is to give a large group of participants skill in being patient despite hardship and to impart discipline and unity in co-ordinated actions. Thanks to the co-operation of the military, the participants are allowed to encamp for 4 days 3 nights at the First Special Force Battalion, Kang Kracharn Camp. Petchaburi Province. Thereafter, at the school compound they all must observe 8 moral precepts strictly, sleep under a Klod-an umbrella covered with a mosquito net. They also observe Dhutanga Practice-ascetic conduct-and seriously practise Mental Discipline for 3 weeks. Dhammadāyāda Training Courses lasted approximately 15-30 days at the beginning. Later, in the summer of 1979, when the temple's man-made forest project was completed, the courses were extended for 2 months. The first month is dedicated to the preparation of physical and mental readiness for ordination. Those who pass the first month training will be accepted to the Mass Ordination Ceremony at the Marble Temple, sponsored by Student Buddhist Clubs of 18 Universities. During the second month, Dhammadāyāda monks receive lessons in Dhamma, at the Dhammakāya Temple, in both theory and practice. WITH STRONG DETERMINATION TO MAKE A MAN A MAN: DHAMMADĀYĀDA TRAINING COURSES ESTABLISHED SINCE SUMMER 1972 ๑๒ Kalyanamitra.org กัลยาณมิตร/กันยายน ๒๕๓๐