Monk Ordination
Every male Thai Buddhist
aged 20 or ove r
is expected to ordain as a monk at some time during his life. The
length of time is entirely up to him and his family. A favourite
time for ordaining is for the duration of the three month Phansa
or Buddhist Lent. The monk-to be is told by the abbot that he owes
everything - his well-being, education, life itself, and above all
the opportunity to become a monk - to his parents who have raised
him since babyhood. Now is his chance to repay that tremendous debt
by renouncing all worldly pleasures for a while, so bringing his
parents the opportunity to earn merit. He is especially doing this
for his mother who is unable to become a monk herself.
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