Become a temporary monk in Thailand (2)
In the previous posting a description was given of how one can temporarily become a monk. This posting is also about being a temporary monk, but for younger children.
This initiation into the Sangha often does not come from the children themselves, but is stimulated especially by the mother. She thereby obtains an extra merit. This often takes place in the month of April when the children do not have to go to school, but still before the Songkran. A Wat indicates when a ceremony will be organized, so that people in the area can respond to it.
In the relevant Wat, the children's hair and eyebrows are shaved off by slightly older monks living there. The hairs are collected in a lotus leaf, folded together and given to the mother. She will entrust that to the river later. It seems like a Loy Kratong thought. Initially, the children are given white clothes to wear.
The next step is for the children to go to their mother and kneel before them and ask for forgiveness for what they once did wrong. This again resembles Father's Day, December 5, where this same ritual takes place at home. Then they are awarded the orange clothes of monasticism. In the new robes they make a tour around the ordination hall (Bot) and then throw decorated coins at the people. This custom is sometimes also seen at cremations. After the deceased has been transported in a coffin around the cremation building (Phra Men), coins are scattered over those present before the cremation begins. When the bowls of money are empty, they enter the temple and listen to the abbot. He then hands out a cloth to each child, which must be draped over the shoulder and the body.
By undertaking something together, the young monks are included in the Wat, but this does not mean a definitive entry into monasticism. In contrast to the somewhat older temporary entry into monkhood, this event involves a large party, to which many people are invited and can eat and drink in abundance.
After these impressive events, the children are taught Buddhism in the period of 2 weeks or more and take to the streets in the morning to collect food.