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By
: M. Veasna, Picture Courtesy ofMr. Heng Sarin.
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Cambodian people
who live in the countryside often
like their sons to become monks when they reach adult
hood. This is because people think that a Buddhist monk
knows much more than an ordinary man - he knows what is
right and what is wrong.
When a man is ordained as a monk, the process is called
the "BomBous Neak Session." BomBous Neak is
a traditional ceremony that Buddhists have held for centuries.
Khmer people have great respect for this ceremony, as
Buddhism is considered Cambodia's national religion.
The Reverent Toy Song, Achar (Priest) at Pour Chan Tong
pagoda in Phnom Penh, explained more about ordination.
"Buddhism teaches literature and other knowledge.
People respect a man who used to be a monk more than an
ordinary person," he said.
"People who live in the countryside think that a
person who used to be a monk knows the difference between
a good deed and bad deed. Khmer people believe that if
a monk is ordained before the age of twenty, it will bring
merits to his mother." If he is ordained after the
age of 20, it will bring merits for his father,"
Toy Song continued. |
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Families with children to be ordained,
plan a ceremony together to save expenses. Picture taken
at the Sramov Temple in Kampong Cham shows four young
lads all ready to become dragons.
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Khmer people still
believe this, so when their daughters get married, they
prefer to choose a man who used to be a monk.
In the past, people who lived in the countryside got an
education by entering the monk hood. But this is changing
now, as there are more and more schools in Cambodia's
provinces.
Cambodians call a man who wants to be ordained "Neak,"
which means dragon. An elephant that has large tusks or
a huge snake is also called "Neak," because
the word denotes goodness. BomBous Neak means ordained
dragon, which implies a process of finding goodness. "The
ceremony of BomBous Neak is related to an ancient Khmer
legend." Achar Toy Song |
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The dragons are sent on horseback
to the temple with their respective family members
shading them from the sun with ancient type parasols
as they parade along on their journey.
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explained.
The legend says that there was once a Buddha called Preah
Samma Sampot, who lived in Chet Poun pagoda. One day,
a supremely powerful dragon that practiced Buddhism arrived
at the pagoda. The dragon wanted to become a monk, and
so it metamorphosised into a man. The man went to the
Buddha who was then only a Preah Mahatisstay (one who
has yet to fully attained enlightenment) and said to him
"I want to be ordained by you." So the Preah
Mahatisstay ordained the dragon, not knowing he was actually
a dragon in disguise.
One day, when the dragon monk was taking a midday nap
in a room in the pagoda, his body transformed itself back
to a large dragon. Just then, another monk came to the
room to call dragon monk to lunch. |
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The Dragons are made to wear customary
headpieces and sarong with prints resembling scales
of a dragon.
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When the monk
opened the door he saw the large dragon in the room, and
shouted to all the other monks in the pagoda to come and
look.
When the Preah Mahatisstay heard of this he said, "From
this day on, no animal or spirit will be ordained."
But the dragon monk pleaded with the Preah, saying "Although
I am an animal and can't be ordained, I am honest and
faithful to Buddhism. So I beg you in future, when a man
wants to become a monk, to first call him 'Neak,' in remembrance
of me, faithful to Buddhism but not lucky enough to be
a person."
And so the Preah commanded it: When a man wants to become
a monk, let him be called 'Neak.'
"A man who is to be ordained has to study prayers
for the Bombous Neak ceremony. And if several families
have sons who are getting ordained at the same time, they
will plan a ceremony together to save expenses. Bombous
Neak is not traditionally held at
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The young dragons pay respect to
their elders, parents, etc.
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any particular
time, but it cannot happen during the three-month Buddhist
lent period," Toy Song said.
Before the day of the ceremony, the man who is getting
ordained carries candles and incense to his relatives,
and formally tells them he is to be ordained. The family
prepares the things their son will need for his life as
a monk: his monk's robes, a sarong for washing in and
a mat and pillow to sleep on.
The Bombous Neak ceremony is always held in the afternoon.
The ordainee has to sit near the monk who is blessing
the ceremony, so he can listen to the monk blessing his
family and friends. The 'dragon' must shave his head for
the ceremony - it doesn't matter when, but it must be
done before the BomBous Neak ceremony takes place, Toy
Song said.
During the ceremony, the Achar carries a palm tree with
two or three leaves tied to it like a beak of bird. He
moves it round and round, calling on 19 spirits to come
and stay with the body of the 'dragon.'
In the 'Teeth of the Dragon' ceremony, a kind of wood
is mixed with coconut water, and boiled with various leaves
and fruit to make a paste that is painted on the ordainee's
teeth. This |
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After the initial ceremony, still
wearing a piece of white cloth across the shoulder,
the dragons are ready to be sent to the temple.
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ceremony is meant
to weaken any poison in the 'dragon,' and cleanse him
of his sins. In the 'Giving Food to the Dragon' ceremony,
the Achar takes some special rice and mixes it with coconut
milk. He then puts the food in the young man's mouth.
This is meant to bring the 'dragon' good luck and a long
life.
On the morning of the ceremony, all the ordainee's relatives
accompany him to the pagoda. When the ceremony is over,
his family walks around the pagoda with him three times,
accompanied by the beat of the Chai Yam, a kind of Khmer
drum. The monk's relatives carry the things he will use
at the pagoda, such as his new robes.
Then everyone goes inside the pagoda, lights a candle
and some incense and prays to a Buddha statue. The ordainee
sits with the things that he will use as a monk in front
of him.
After this, the ordained man carries his new monk's things
and puts them in front of the chief of monk, then prays
three times. Finally, the 'dragon' carries a candle and
incense to pray to the chief monk, and ask him for a place
to stay in the pagoda. |
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At the temple, the dragon is ordained
and given to wear the customary orange color robe -
the dragon is now a monk.
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B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
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Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
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