At the age of eighteen, upon completion of my High School, I decided to join novicehood. When I was at school, I took great interest in Buddhism lessons. It had been my long wish to devote myself to the study of Dhamma and the Pali language under the tutelage of some senior monks. The only way to fulfill my desire was by joining the Order, and so I made the volitional decision to get ordained. My parents who had always shown unfaltering faith in Buddhism, took utmost delight in my decision.
When I expressed my wish to my parents, they decided to accompany me to the village temple (Wat Suvannamunisagara) to seek advice from the abbot. The abbot suggested on Asalha Puja Day in 1998 as the most auspicious date for the occasion. After consulting the abbot, I had about a month’s time at my disposal to prepare for the ceremony. We informed all my friends, neighbors and relatives. In Cambodian society, Buddhist ordination is regarded as a very significant and auspicious function. Friends and relatives come together to join hands in offering every possible help and support. It is believed that by doing so they gain merit in this and future live.
While my parents were busy with the preparation at home, I decided to stay in the temple for a couple of days in order to observe the ways of life of monks from the closest quarters. My Preparatory stay at the temple was similar to that of a temple boy, except that I had to learn a few prayers regularly from a senior monk. I needed to memorize some verses in Pali, the classical language of Buddhist canonical texts.
During that time, I used to accompany monks on their alms round at 09:30 every morning. Upon returning my work was to unpack the alms bowls, lay the food on the plates and make everything ready for the lunch. After the monks and novices finished with their lunch. It was my turn to have my meal. Later, I did the washing up and kept the alms bowls clean and ready for the next days round. I also gave my hand to novices in sweeping and cleaning the temple compound.
My preparatory stay at the temple was soon over, and I was at the threshold of my new journey. On the day of my ordination, my parents, relatives, friends and neighbors all accompanied me to the temple. At first I was worn in a white dress that my parents had bought for me only. Everyone was in a joyous and festive mood, dancing to the rhythmic tune of traditional music of drumbeats, while I was sitting appreciatively on a brown-colored horse’s back towards a temple.
At the temple, my parents initiated the tonsuring ceremony by clipping off a few strands of my hair. Then a monk shaved my hair and eyebrows clean as per the Theravada tradition. This was followed by the circumambulating act. We went around the main chapel in a clock-wise way for three times. This act symbolically represented our homage to the Triple Gem, the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
After the circumambulation act, I proceeded to the main chapel to make my formal request to the Sangha Assembly to ordain me as a novice. After the preceptor offered me the yellow robes and I was worn by monks, I received the ten precepts. The preceptor advised me that as a novice have to follow the ten precepts. I listened to all these precepts carefully, and then promised to abide by them, showing my willingness to confirm to the rules and regulations of monastic life. With is the formal ordination ceremony came to an end.
The lay devotees, who witnessed the whole function, offered food and gifts to the monks to express their devotion and happiness. Before departing, my parents blessed me so that I would be happy and successful in the spiritual life that I had chosen to lead. My ordination day is the day of days in my life, and grateful to one and all who helped me on this particular day, when I was finally ushered into a new path that I had long dreamed to tread upon.
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