School's Out!

It's that time of year again where school children in Thailand have a two and a half month holiday, before school re-opens in May.

During the school holidays, many children will be ordained as novices for a week, to learn about Buddhism and the life of monkhood and Buddhist nuns. This will prepare these children for the time when they will be ordained as adults.
It is the custom in Thailand for every male to be ordained anywhere from a week to 3 months to pay back the sacrifices their parents have made all those years while raising them to young adults. This practice especially frees the mother who not only sacrificed everything to raise her children, but also the pain and discomforts she had to endure during pregnancy and childbirth.

Today, however, there was a mass ordination of a very special nature here at the temple. 217 men, ranging in age from approximately 8 years old to 60 years old were ordained and will spend 49 days in 4 temples in the Ayutthaya area. The purpose of this mass ordination is for the welfare of the country and for the health and welfare of Thailand's beloved King Bumibhol Aduliadhet, who spent 60 years of his life improving conditions for the poor and helping them to cultivate the skills from their individual areas as a livelihood and income to support their families.Our King has also set up health and education facilities in rural areas, not only in Thailand, but in our neighboring countries as well.
What made this day extra special for me was offering the yellow robes and almsbowl to a novice who intends to remain a monk for the rest of his life.
Initially I intended only to witness this ceremony, because I have never seen it before, although I have heard of it. One of the sponsors, a Dr. no less, pulled me with her and told me that we will do this together.
That way we both make merit. What a surprise!
I'm glad and feel honored to have been able to participate in such a joyous occasion.

Between March 29th and April 1st, more than 100,000 men will be ordained throughout the country in gratitude to our King and for the welfare of the country. They will also remain ordained novices for 49 days.

At some point in the near future, young children will be ordained for a week here at the temple. Usually there are some 60 little nuns and some 50 little novice monks every year who spend time here to learn about Buddhism, meditation, etc. During that week, our monks and senior nuns are going to be very busy!
In schools around Thailand, Buddhist studies is a part of the curriculum, regardless of the individual's religion.
All children learn about Buddhism, but the non-Buddhist children are not required to participate in Buddhist activities One must remember that essentially Thailand is a Buddhist country