Importance of the monk initiation ceremony/festivities

[Caroline Page]

Can any one help explain to me the reason why so much effort and money is put into the arrangements related to a monk being initiated. I have asked Thai friends (and long living in thailand falang friends) and still don't understand - and genuinely want to

For example, we live in a small village in the south, about 350 Thais and a handful of falang. My husband and I are privileged to be invited to share in the festivities happening in the village, so we attend the funerals, weddings, monk initiation festivities etc - and we really appreciate the opportunity to be involved

We have now been to three monk initiatiation festivities - each one bigger than the last. Last weekend, over 2000 people (the last one we went to was 1500 and the son was only going to be a monk for 1 week!) turned up for three days of ceremonies, parties (three bands, lighting that could no doubt be seen for miles, numerous groups of dancing girls, morning, lunchtime and evening food etc). We were totally exhausted at the end of it (I envy the Thais their capacity to put on huge events and party for so long!) - the culmination of which was the ceremony at the Wat which was super to be involved in and yes, another party in the evening

In this case the son was going to be a monk for three months or thereabouts.

I genuinely do not understand - and want to - why these events are so important, and worthy of such huge scale events (and emotion by the family members - I had tears in my eyes just watching my friend the mother during the process who I don't think was without her tissues for the whole of the period) so if anyone can explain the true importance of such activities to a family and the village community I really would like to know . And will be very grateful to anyone who can explain this

Please help!!!!!!

[wym]

Their religion is very important to them.

Their son is very important to them, this is the rite of passage, like a bar mitzvah.

The face gained by putting on such a showy and expensive celebration is perhaps most important of all.

Now put them altogether, once in a lifetime event, more likely so than a wedding. . .

[seajae]

Just had a neighbour go through the same thiong, he is a police officer but he wished to give his parents happiness and fulfill their wishes, apparently a lot of thai parents want their sons to become monks. He went through all th innitiation process, had his head shaved etc and for a week he lived as a monk, wore the same outfit, went on the morning walks for alms and blessings and stayed at the temple with them , the joy his parents got from this was incredible and now he is back at his old job as though nothing has happened.

It is common here and like everything else that thais do they like to celebrate it to show their happiness, personally I have a lot of regard for those that do it because it shows they think highly of their parents and want to give them this happiness, respect seems to be missing here in so many places but this makes up for it.