Her siblings will take care of her family. Besides
she had already stayed in a monastery as a 'trial'
before. And it's not short, about 6 months. So
definitely she knows what kind of life she'll be leading.
But me being a worldly human, a part of me can't accept the fact
that such a good girl with so many good attributes would choose to
be ordained. I'm not saying it's not good, but she'll be
leading such a secluded life. And it's very hard labour, as
she described.
Yet, the other side of me knows that it's a right decision,
because she has truly understood that our lives are fleeting, and
she is brave enough to do what many of others are afraid to do,
that is, give up our daily worldly activities. Come on, ask
yourself, if it is because of family commitments that a
person choose to be secular, then there would be no Shakyamuni
Buddha. Of course, you can cite Vimalakirti, but really, the
true reason is that most of us are just afraid to let go.
Probably to you it's afraid to let go. But you cannot assume
that for many other people.
So come on, is it a must for one to be ordained to be considered
as serious in one's spiritual cultivation? I don't know where is
your friend becoming a nun in; but a few monks and nuns that I
personally know, and observed, seems to be that, ordained lives are
busier.
There's a nun I know who's always organising environmental
awareness activities; another into buddhist education, both of them
did tell me sometime they feel that becoming ordained ended up have
more things to do!
So to think that becoming part of sangha gives you more time and
space to cultivate (if you're refering cultivate on a personal
level), it isn't necessary so. Sometimes, (a good) sangha ended up
has to take up the role of cousellors, programmes (be it social
welfare or dhamma-related) co-ordinated and even as disciples of
their own teachers, it's not easy.
Sangha during the Buddha's time was really quite different from
the sangha nowadays.
To me, in Buddhism, both ordained and lay disciples are
equally important to sustain the Buddha-sassana.
It's just a matter of choice what kind of lifestyle one choose to
live a buddhist life.