Burmese boy about to spend a week in a Buddhist monastery

1968 - A Boy About To Become A Monk: Magnificently attired in traditional dress (its richness and splendour accords with the wealth of the boy's family although sometimes friends help out) this Burmese boy is carried shoulder high around the village of Mongnai, in the Shan States, before entering the local monastery for a week when he will be initiated into all the Buddhist precepts. When A Buddhist Boy Enters A Monastery: In the remote Shan states of Burma, one of the great days of a boy's life is when he enters a monastery for a period of up to one week's induction into the 10 precepts of the Buddhist faith. Dressed up in traditional robes, with face powdered and stencilled with floral designs and wearing an intricate headdress, the cost of which is ofter contributed to by an entire family and their friends, he and any other boys about to enter novicehood are carried around the monastery on the shoulders of adults for all the village to applaud. To celebrate the occasion everyone contributes presents for the monastery. These gifts range from mats and stools, to cutlery, waterpots, fans, slippers, spittoons, betel boxes, tinned sardines, cigars etc. Music is provided by the quaint village band. Once the celebrations outside the monastery are over and the boys are taken in by the simple monks they are divested of their clothing and put on the plain, simple robes of the novice. Almost at once their strict, disciplined training begins. Reading and prayers, the teaching of Gautema Buddha, the rules of Buddhist life - all are taught so that when the boy leaves he is considered a full member of the faith. While studying with the monks, the boys live a life which depends on begging for food. Thus, out on the streets these temporary novice monks may be seen with their alms bowls reciting the scriptures and collecting for themselves. These pictures were taken during induction festival and ceremonies in the Shan village of Mongnai. (Credit Image: (c) Keystone Pictures USA/ZUMAPRESS.com/Mary Evans)

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19600105 Accords Alms Although Applaud Attired Begins Betel Bowls Buddha Buddhist Burmese Ceremonies Cigars Collecting Considered Contributed Contributes Cost Cutlery Depends Disciplined Divested Enter Entering Enters Entire Everyone Induction Initiated Intricate Magnificently Mats Monks Novice Ofter Powdered Prayers Precepts Provided Quaint Reciting Remote Richness Rules Sardines Scriptures Shan Slippers Sometimes Splendour Stencilled Strict Studying Taught Temporary Themselves Thus Tinned Wealth

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