Almost two thousand years ago, the tradition of Theravada Buddhism was started with the inheritance ceremony of Rahula, who was the son of Buddha. Today, in Myanmar every boy beneath the age of 20 goes through the samanera ordination in order to embrace the legacy of the Buddha.The Burmese families celebrate the ordination of their young son into the Buddhist order of the Sangha in a standard way. This occasion is an vital rite in the life of every single Buddhist male in Burma which is referred to as Shinbyu, the Shangha generating ceremony. The households without having having a male kid generally seek for an orphan boy or a boy from very poor families in order to obtain this specific dispensation by the Buddha as this act offer them excellent blessings and comfort in their lives.
“You must grow to be a monk, just before you can turn out to be a man.”
This is a very popular saying in Myanmar which reflects the significance of this day in the lives of the Burmese people. The boy is educated to become a novice for a particular period of time with an ultimate goal to receive Enlightenment which is identified as Nirvana in the Buddhist religion.
According to the beliefs, by getting into the order of The Sangha in this life, a novice is turn out to be able to boost his Karma (Merit) in gaining Nirvana in his upcoming life. Usually the period consists of at least seven days in the course of which the novice learns the simple principles that are crucial in becoming a good Buddhist.
The ceremony is very exciting and special which starts in the early morning with a procession to the monastery. The young boy is dressed up in bright colored and silks embroidered with gold and he looks like a prince. The young boy is riding on a horse back with lots of drum beats and conventional dancing. To provide the shelter from sunburn, the young boy keeps a golden umbrella with him. This ritual reminds the Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s departure from the royal palace who left his comfy and luxurious life and family members at the age of 29 in search of the 4 Noble Truths. The females are also not behind in this modest event. Specially, the sisters are having an ear-piercing with a gold needle and they are also dressed like princess herself. The proud loved ones also hosts the guest with a feast at the monastery. Soon after this, the guy gets his head shaved and he replaces his princely dress with a saffron robe. Ultimately the novice is also supplied with an alms bowl and palm-leaf fan by his parents. These moments of Shinbyu, the Shangha producing ceremony of Myanmar are really sentimental which are equally filled with the joyous passions and painful thoughts.
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