scar: Becoming a Monk in Thailand

As for a real Thai buddhist, most of the Thai men will become a monk or "buat phra" for their mother when they reach the age of 20. One of the reason being is when their mother died, she would hold on the his monk's robe and go to heaven. Another reason will be, good merits for all his family members and relatives. It will depends on himself for how long he wanted to stay in the monkhood from 3 months to 3 years, but some chose to become a monk for life..

Ceremony of Hair-Shaving on the Eve of Ordination

This will be the "tools" for shaving the hair and eyebrows. The lotus leave is to "collect" all his hair as none of his hair is allowed to drop on the floor.

All his family members, relatives, neighbors and close friends will take turn according to "rank", cut some of his hair and at the same time giving him a blessing for a prosperous future and forgive all the bad things that he had done.

Once everyone had finished, it's time to shampoo the hair and shaved all his hair and eyebrows by monk.

He will be showered with soap and everyone took turns in pouring water over his head and body, again giving him a blessing.

Finally, some herbs, which are yellow when mixed with water, are rubbed all over his head and body.

Once again he's been poured with water to clean up everything.

After he took a shower, he then changed into his white clothes. At this point, he is now known as "naak" in Thai or "naga" in English.

It's a chanting and sermon time...

The Day of the Ordination or "buat" in Thai

The procession took place from his house to the temple with family members, relatives and friends, carrying the things that he needed to use as a monk.

With the hired band...

The procession got off with the dancers (relatives and friends) led the way , wailing and cheering..all the way to the temple..

He is still wearing his white clothes, holding lotus flowers, incense sticks and candles. His bald head is being sheltered from the sun by a large umbrella.

Once we reached the temple, he paid "respect" to the shrine.

And continue to walk clockwise the temple for three times.

Just before he entered the temple, he threw the ribbon flowers (which contains coin) into the crowd. The coins are considered for luck.

Before he entered the main door of the temple, he's been carried to touch the top of the door.

It was the time for the ordination of him as a monk. He is facing towards the Buddha images, opposite the abbot and surrounded by monks.

The abbot placed the amsa (the shoulder cloth) over his head covering his left shoulder. He then told him to go with one of the monk to get changed into the rest of the robes.