The ornate gold and orange patterns align the surrounding ins and outs of Buddhist temples, appearing all around the country of Thailand and often times the centerpiece for cities and villages within its borders. Buddhism is the primary religion in Thailand where men beginning at the age of 20 to elderly are ordained as monks into the Buddhist church. Monk ordinations are a common occurrence throughout the nation. Ordaining is a strong symbol of honor and pride for Buddhist families, and a traditional practice of gaining merit for not only the ordained but their families as well. Often times ordained monks will continue their practice as figures of the church for years, weeks, and some as little as a few days.
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The Celebration
On average, monks ordain for at least one month. It is a traditional practice to have a celebration generally with music, dancing, drinking, and food the night before the ordination and the morning of.
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Protect
The ordaining men are covered by the ornate umbrellas held by a male family member when circulating the temple in preparation for the ceremony.
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Mother’s Merit
A ordaining man’s mother walks with her son as they circle the temple, before entering, a traditional practice in the ordination ceremony. Making merit in the Buddhist religion for one’s family is a strong influence in ordaining into the monkhood, especially merit for a mother, as she is not able to enter the monkhood herself.
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Joy
A small boy smiles as the music is sung loud and the community dances in preparation for the event, circulating the temple before the monk ordination ceremony begins. He clings on tight to his mother with excitement emitting the overall enthusiasm that fills the air on this celebratory day.
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The Sound of Celebration
Outside of the temple before entering inside for the ordination ceremony.
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Prayers
Raucous celebration with both acoustic and amplified music is a big part of the procession to and walk around the temple's ordination hall.
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Prayers
The mother of an ordaining monk folds her hands in prayer, as a bhikkhu leads one last prayer before the ordaining men and their family enters the temple.
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Throwing Love
Women throw ribboned flowers into the enthused crowd before the ordaining men enter the temple.
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Preparation
The soon to be ordained men kneel before the front steps of the temple before entering into the ordination ceremony.
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Outside the Temple
A celebratory reception is held the night before the ordination. The community of the ordaining men, drink throughout the hours of the night and morning, as the ordaining ceremony is viewed as a very exciting time for family and loved ones of soon to be novice monks.
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Monk’s Entrance
A Buddhist monk enters the ordination temple where he helps in the ordination ceremony. The Theravada monks wear orange robes, a symbol of living a simple life and a detachment from materialism.
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Candid
Taking pictures of the ordained, audience, and selfies are of the norm in monk ordinations as well as sharing them on Facebook and texting them to friends and family.
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Family Support
Becoming a monk is a very honorable thing in Thailand and highly respected by Buddhist families. It is custom for the ordained man’s family to attend his ordination ceremony for support.
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Mindful
Meditation, known in the Pali language as bhāvanā, means ‘to make grow’ or ‘to develop.’ Meditation, according to the Buddhist teaching, is a means of transforming the mind and a practice that targets developing concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calmer view of the natural world. (Buddhist Centre) According to The Buddha's Ancient Path, Buddhist Publication Society, there are two ways of leading life for a Buddhist bhikkhu. The first is vipassanā-dhura, or a life of continuous meditation. The second way is gantha-dhura, or part-time meditation.
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Go Forth
Not all men of Buddhism are expected to ordain as monks. The Dhammapada (verse 302) states “Hard it is to go forth from home to homelessness, To take delight in it is hard.” It is not considered an easy task to ordain, however many men do. The average time for a novice ordination monk is one to three months.
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Brotherhood
During the ordination ceremony, the ordained monks help the ordaining change into the traditional orange Theravada robes, symbolizing their entrance into the life of a bhikkhu.
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Ordaining
Theravada Buddhism is a branch of buddhism that uses the teachings of Pali Canon, being one of the oldest scriptures of the Buddha
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Community
After the ordination inside the temple of Wat phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand audience members hold up celebratory orange fabric, a traditional practice at the large Wat.
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Man’s Best Friend
Bhikkhu is the term used for an ordained Theravada monk, and a term originating from the Pali language. Bhikkhu Phra Jesada (pictured) is a 28-year-old Buddhist Theravada monk who ordained at the age of 22. He now is in grad school at Walailak University in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, getting his masters in Southeast Asian studies.The temple he resides at, is known for the welcoming habitat for a number of friendly dogs who live in peace with the monks also living there.
Sources:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/whats-thera.htm
http://www.sirimangalo.org/text/how-to-meditate/chapter-one-what-is-meditation/
Ordination in Theravada Buddhism An Early Account by J. F. Dickson