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Thailand's Buddhist monkhood

One of the milestones in the life of most Thai men is ordination into Buddhist monkhood. This act (it's mostly temporary) is regarded as bringing great merit to his parents, thus helping them be reborn in heaven. Indeed, it's a Thai custom for a young man to enter the monkhood before marriage – otherwise half the merit goes to the wife. Most Thai men therefore take this opportunity to express gratitude to their parent by entering into the monkhood immediately after they reach a mature age.

A man who has not been ordained is not considered a mature adult and he seems to gain less respect. An ordained man is called 'Thit' which derives from the 'bunhit', or learned man. Thus, in the countryside, elder people call the ordained man beginning with 'thit and then followed by the persons given name.

Though ordination can be performed at any time of the year, it usually takes place in July or August marking the beginning of the rainy season. During this period monks throughout the county are committed to stay only in their respective temples throughout a 3 month 'rains retreat'.

The ordination ceremony begins with the oral examination of the ordainee's qualifications. Some of the questions to be answered are: 'are you male? Are you free from debt? Have you your parents permission to become a monk?' All these questions are meant to ensure that the young man has been really relieved of all worldly burdens so he can devote most of his time for religious studies. After fulfilling the prescribed regulations, the ordainee will then be given the yellow robe and hear his first admonition before becoming a full monk.

A the end for the 3-month rains retreat and after the Kahin robe is presented to their temple, some monks will leave the monkhood and become laymen while others will continue, some for the rest of their lives.