BUDDHIST MONK CEREMONY
BECOMING A MONK IN THAILAND
By Irene Baron
www.irenebaron.com

It was an honor to be invited to a monking ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand where I worked for almost five years. An office friend was becoming a monk for 10-days. The shortest time period allowed by his wat, or temple, was 3-days. It is tradition for a Buddhist male to become a monk, a rite of passage, to officially become recognized as a man. This must be accomplished before marriage. Most monking ceremonies take place during…