Buddhist Novices
Basic Buddhist Principles
The first two opening stanzas of the Dhammaphada
I
Mind is the forerunner of all mental conditions,
mind is chief, mind-made are they;
if a person speaks or acts with an evil mind,
then suffering will surely follow
just as the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.
II
Mind is the forerunner of all mental conditions,
mind is chief, mind-made are they;
if a person speaks or acts with a pure mind,
then happiness will surely follow
like a (cool) shadow that is never left behind.
The name Buddha means “to awaken”. The ultimate goal of Buddhism is nibabana meaning “blown out” or to be “cool”. The heart and mind are not mutually exclusive. In Thai, heart is chai and mind is chit. A common Thai phrase is chai yen-yen, keep a heart cool. If a pure mind has happiness following like a “cool shadow”, then the same goes for a pure heart. Buddhism believes we are responsible for ourselves. “There is no god to blame the world’s problems on, and we are not allowed to commiserate over our (predetermined) fate. We (and the world) are made up of compounded things subject to the impact of nature and surrounding conditions. This notion of compounded things (sankhara) applies to our physical being as well as all thought. In other words, as we grow, we are exposed to a number of changing conditions that affect us in various ways. We use our mind to try and study these things. And one of the most tricky activities is using the mind to study the mind. One Buddhist doctor in Thailand, Prawase Wasi, told me that the Buddhist task involves trying to figure out how we were programmed (by parents, teachers, friends, the government, and so on…) and to reprogram ourselves.”³
What is Theravada Buddhism?
Theravada Buddhism is the more traditional tradition of the two traditions of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is more simplistic, based on the original forms of Buddhism, and its’ transmission (Buddhist lineage) is primarily in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia, and parts of Southeast Asia. Mahayana Buddhism on the other hand is more contemporary, a bit more intense, and its’ transmission is primarily in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and parts of Southeast Asia.
One example of their differences is their standards for Buddha. In Theravada Buddhism, “only the historical Gautama (Sakyamuni) Buddha and past buddhas are accepted.”¹ Gautama Buddha is Siddhārtha Gautama, better known as Buddha. Mahayana Buddhism on the other hand accepts Sakyamuni Buddha and contemporary buddhas.
If you want to look at some of the other differences, you can check out this chart!
Background of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand
“Theravada Buddhism has been the predominant religion in Thailand since early recorded history.”² Not only is it the most predominant among its’ citizens, but it is also part of their government. In early history, many royalty would join the Sangha (Buddhist assembly) temporarily, and in the Sukhothai period, the Supreme Patriarch was appointed by the king. The Supreme Patriarch oversaw monkhood as well as the Sangha. Over time, many kings or a secular authority would create “acts” regarding how Sangha should be imposed. These acts usually reflected their reign.
The Sangha was originally comprised of only one nikai (order) and is “hierarchially organized” roughly based on the civil administration. While there was originally only one nikai, there were two main groups within the Sangha: gamavasi (city-dwelling) and araññavasi (forest-dwelling). They became famous for partaking in two traditional Buddhist tendencies, gantha dhura (study of books) and vipassana dhura (practice of meditation).
In 1833, Prince Mongkut, who was also a distinguished monk at the time, sought to reform the state of Buddhism in Thailand. Mongkut questioned many of the practices, such as the establishment of the sacred space on temple grounds and the ordination procedure. Mongkut established a new nikai, based on readings of the Pali Canon, called the Thammayut. It spread to many neighboring Theravada countries and even to Sri Lanka. Mongkut ordained and re-ordained monks as part of the Thammayut, those not part of that nikai are called Mahanikai. While the differences between the two nikai are not obvious, they are still present in today’s Theravada Buddhist society.
Procedures for the Thai Buddhist Monk
Being ordinated into Sangha is a rite of passage for Thai young men, essential for maturing or suk (becoming ripe). The nice thing about ordination and joining Sangha is that it can be done on short notice and it is not a lifetime commitment so it’s a very normal part of Thai Buddhist life. In fact, Prince Mongkut became ordained in 1824 to follow the tradition. Unfortunately, it isn’t too common in urban areas of Thailand anymore, however it is still largely intact in the countryside.
If the man being ordained is younger than 20 years of age, than he will be ordained as a nen (novice; samanera in Pali). If he is 20 or older, than he will be ordained as a phra (full-fledged monk; bhikkhu in Pali). There was a full-fledged female order called bhikkhuni, however it’s transmission was lost. Some women in Thailand are reconsidering this order.
Once in the order they must join a temple. Thai monks usually decide to enter either a “forest” temple to study meditation or join a temple in a more urban area and study the Buddhist curriculum. Those who decide to study the Buddhist cirruculum must start with the formal study naktham. It has three grades and studies scriptures and rules of the Sangha. There is also nine levels of parian (Pali language study) which they are annually tested on.
There is also “the Sangha education system [which] exists as an alternative for those who wish to engage in religious studies or — for geographical or economic reasons — do not have access to the government system of higher education.”
Buddha requires all monks to maintain contact with the common people near the temple. Monks usually make morning rounds for binthabat (alms) or participate in local ceremonies and rituals. The temple will usually receive donations based on its’ monks effort to connect with the people. Those who pass the highest grade of Pali Studies are given scholarships by the government’s Department of Religious Affairs and stop making alms rounds.
Thai Buddhist Ordination Ceremony
Sources
¹http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot02.htm
–> ²http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot02.htm
–> ³http://www.thaibuddhism.net/principles.htm
Thailand 
I’ve known about the different Buddhist sects and have long been interested in the belief system/philosophy. I read the Dhammaphada in high school and thought it was cool. However, I hadn’t given the ordination ceremony and process much thought. The most unexpected part was watching the video and hearing about how the hair that has been shorn during the ceremony is floated down the river, like a washing away of the past and the self and a sort of renewal.
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