Thailand: Thai Buddhist ordination ceremony, Chiang Mai. The Brahman priest uwraps the banana leaves in...

In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple. Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents. The Sukhwan Nak ceremony is a lay ceremony that precedes the full ordination ceremony. The ceremony is used to protect the monk-to-be from evil spirits as they are felt to be particularly vulnerable after they have had their heads shaved.