In 1967, while still a graduate student, Bodhi was ordained as a śrāmaṇera (novitiate) in the Vietnamese Mahayana order.[3] In 1972, after graduation, Bodhi traveled to Sri Lanka where, under Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero,[4] he received sāmaṇera ordination in the Theravada school and, in 1973, he received full ordination as a Theravada bhikkhu or monk