Ordination

บวชพระ or "BUAT PHRA" means to become a monk. บวชนาค or "BUAT NAK" means to prepare one-self to ordination.

Ordination ceremony
	The ordination ceremony as a monk is called พิธีอุปสมบท.

Six days before the ordination, the layman shall go to the temple, shall participate to all activities of the monks but is not still a monk. The head is not shaved. The day before ordination, a feast is organised. There is music and outdoors movies from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Many persons attend to such feasts because everybody wants to make good deed.

	Ordination ceremony
In a temple, some men are monks since decades but there are also some men who are monk only during a short time.

The candidates answer to questions asked by the priest ("UPACHANA" - อุปัชฌาย์) who officiates at the ordination ceremony.

	Some questions are "Do you have debts ?", "Do you have mother and father permission to become a monk ?", "Are you a male human being ?". The last question came from Buddhist legends when a "PHAJANAK" (พยานาค) or snake disguises itself into a human being in order to become a monk. The Lord Buddha discovered the trickery. The "PHAJANAK" was not allowed to become a monk but since this time all candidates to monkshood are called "NAK" (นาค).
Ordination ceremony

Some questions are "Do you have debts ?", "Do you have mother and father permission to become a monk ?", "Are you a male human being ?". The last question came from Buddhist legends when a "PHAJANAK" (พยานาค) or snake disguises itself into a human being in order to become a monk. The Lord Buddha discovered the trickery. The "PHAJANAK" was not allowed to become a monk but since this time all candidates to monkshood are called "NAK" (นาค).

Ordination ceremony

The question "Are you a male human being ?" is also linked to the fact that women cannot become monks in Thailand.

	Ordination ceremony
The new monk has learnt how to wear the monk clothes and is back in the main chapel to listen to the abbot's last recommendations.

Sometimes the candidate is so nervous that he forgets the answers he must say to the abbot. Then this one whispers the answers in order to help him.

Ordination ceremony
	The new monk receives a new monk name in Pali language. He is now part of the monkhood.

Foreigner can also become monk but it is then important to speak well Thai and to learn some Pali words. Anyway in some forest temples in Isan area, there are also ordinations in English.

Click here to see a picture about Buddhist Ordination

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