Sorgraw Petchyindee, a three time WMC world champion and two time Lumpinee champion has ordained as a monk today in his home province of Buriram in the North East of Thailand.
The ceremony which took place on Friday the 16th April at Wat Chaoeng in the Prakhon Chai District of Buriram was attended by close friends and relatives who all came to give their blessing and make merit.
Most Thais from 20 upwards are expected to to ordain as a monk for a period of time at some point within their life as the belief is that it is a way to gain merit not just for the monk-to-be but also for his parents. Ordination is also practised as a way to show gratitude to them as is evidenced by an idiom (ko chai pha lueang khuen sawan) meaning “clinging to the edge of the yellow robe to heaven”.
The ordination follows a strict ceremony bound by tradition with the initial phase being to shave the hair of the the monk-to-be or nak. The first cut of the hair has to be done by parents, senior relatives or a revered monk before a barber shaves the remaining hair, eyebrows and any facial hair. The nak is then bathed and cleansed before being dressed in white and participating in a procession at the temple.
On arrival of the temple the nak must circle the ordination hall clockwise three times whilst the family walk in procession. Each family member must carry a requisite of the monk-to-be and are led into the ordination hall to witness an assembly of monks examine the suitability of the candidate hoping to be accepted by the Sangha.
From all at the WMC we would like to send our best wishes to Sorgraw on this auspicious occasion.