Becoming a Monk

Becoming a Monk is a symbol of admiration and seen as a selfless act placing the family in good standing within the community. The experience is supposed to make the monk more suitable for societal life and marriage when he decides to depart the monkhood. This gesture is so important that some families will refuse to allow their daughters to marry a man who hasn’t been one. The reality of becoming a Buddhist monk has never been easy. Anyone requesting to be ordained must agree to follow an endless list of rules and requirements. There are 227 precepts of higher spiritual discipline established by the Buddha to create an environment conducive for those wishing to develop themselves spiritually. Due to the nature of being a monk, all applicants must be male and heterosexual.

Before the day of ceremony, the prospective monk will visit family members to ask their forgiveness for past transgressions. A monk from the temple will visit the home to pray, chant, and begin the process of shaving the head, eyebrows, and facial hair. After that comes the 2 hours ceremony (Tham Kwan Nak) recounting the sufferings endured by the parents in raising their child. The man will then bath as an act of cleansing, along with chanting before he changes into a white robe that symbolizes purity. 

Once accepted, the man is now a novice monk or Phra. He will then make his way to the temple for more ceremony ensuring that his feet don’t make contact to the ground until he arrives. When he arrives at the temple, he will greet the abbot (head monk), takes his vows, and change into his orange robes. It is at this stage where the monk will forgo all ownership and handling of money. His sole reliance is on donations from the community. When a monk is ordained, he is said to be reborn into a new life. Women are forbidden to touch him or even stay alone in the same room. And if a woman wishes to offer an object to him, it must pass through a third medium, such as a piece of cloth.

How to Become a Buddhist Monk in Thailand
https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/bangkok/how-to-become-a-buddhist-monk-in-thailand/

Becoming a Buddhist Monk: What’s It All About?
https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/becoming-buddhist-monk-whats/

How to Become a Monk in Thailand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-UPMYHavZk

Famous Cards

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