1.

Abstract

Myanmar Buddhists believe that the Novitiation ceremony is not only very imperative
duty for the parents to their son but also the good opportunity to pay back the gratitude from the
son to their parents by being a novice. Furthermore, this ceremony is seen as the highest spiritual
and moral achievement that brings immense merit to both the parents and the son in this life and
the hereafter. The Novitiation Ceremony is an essential part of their life. This study will
investigate the performance of the Buddhist Novitaition Ceremony being practiced in
contemporary Myanmar.

2. Purpose of Study

Novitiation ceremony is one of the most important traditional and religious ceremonies
for Myanmar Buddhists, and they regard their lives to be incomplete if they themselves, or their
sons, have not been novices. The great expectation of every parents is to give the great donation
for their son. From the time of the birth of a son, parents start thinking of that ceremony and save
for many years to fulfill the lavish expense of the special occasion of the great donation (Ahlū)
when their son come of age. On the other hand, every boy is expected to enter into the Buddha’s
dispensation as a novice at least one time in his life. That is why, this thesis aims to explore the
main intention of the celebrating the Novitiation Ceremony.

3. Literature Review
(1) Ven. PARAMI, Theravada Buddhist Oridination Origin, Development and Current
Practice in Myanmar, International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University,
Yangon, Myanmar, 2008.

In this book, the researcher discusses Theravada Buddhist oridination from its genesis,
development and current practice in Myanmar as described in the literature. However, he does
not discuss critically.

(2) Ashin Chekinda, The Buddhist way of taking care of Samanera in Myanmar, Sitagu
International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing Hills, Myanmar, 2019.
 This researcher discusses mainly the Buddhist way of taking care of Samanera in
Myanmar and mentions the procedure of initiation along with its background history briefly.
However, there are some gaps that this book is missing to describe.

(3) Sao Htun Hmat Win, The Initiation into Novicehood and the Ordination of Monk in
the Myanmar Buddhist Culture, Department for the Promotion and Propagation of
the Sasana Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yangon, Myanmar, 2002-2003.

This book is composed of two chapters. The author describes Myanmar Buddhist
initiaiton in the first chapter in detail. However, he mentions the procedure of initiation only.
That is why, there are also some missing points.

(4) Khin Myo Chit, Colourful Myanmar, 3rd ed. Published by U Ye Myint, Tetlan
Sarpay, Yangon, Myanmar, 1995.

This book is composed of nine chapters. The author presents the various aspects of
Myanmar life, thought, and culture from pieces on language and customs. In the first chapter, she
mentions about novitiation ceremony in brief. Therefore, this research will broadly reveal why
the Myanmar Buddhists hold the Novitiation Ceremony.

4. Research Problem and Questions

The Novitiaition Ceremony is one of the noblest ceremonies for Buddhists in Myanmar.
Buddhist parents hold the Novitiation ceremony by giving the great donation for their son. Some
sell their carts, cattle and land in order to celebrate the great ceremony. Some are in debt because
of holding that ceremony. Moreover, a Buddhist man’s life is not considered truly fulfilled unless
he goes through the process of novitiation. So, every Buddhist man wishes to join the Order of
the Samgha as a novice at least one time in his life. However, some can not pronounce the Pali
phrases articulately since they are too young. If so, they would not be real novices, and would be
fake novices. In this connection, it is an issue to investigate “whether the Novitiation Ceremony
in Contemporary Myanmar corresponds to the Buddha’s approval or not?

Under the main problem, there would be several issues to exmine, such as,

a. Why do Burmese Buddhists hold the Buddhist Novitiation Ceremony?

 b. How do Burmese Buddhists celebrate Novitiation Ceremony?
c. What is the aim of holding the Novitiation Procession?
d. Why do they hold the ceremony of showing to the Nat-spirits?
e. What are the advantages of holding the Novitiation Ceremony?

5. Research Objectives

In this research, there are main objectives, as follows:

a. To study the cause of celebrating the Buddhist Novitiation Ceremony in

contemporary Myanmar.
b. To study the performance of the Buddhist Novitiation Ceremony in contemporary
Myanmar.
c. To explore the aim of holding the Novitiation Procession.
d. To investigate the aim of showing to the Nat-spirits.
e. To observe the advantages of holding the Buddhist Novitiation Ceremony.

6. Research Method and Design

This research will apply the textual and critical methods to study the Buddhist
Novitiation Ceremony in contemporary Myanmar. The methodology is qualitative or
quantitative. The primary data will mainly be collected from the Vinaya Pitaka along with its
commentaries and sub-commentaries, especially Mahavagga Pali. Furthermore, the data will be
collected through photographs and interviews if necessary. Thus, when presenting sources and
information, they will be collected, organized, analyzed, and examined in this work.

7. Research Scope and Limitation

Today Theravada Buddhism is practiced in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and
Myanmar. However, this research will not consider other countries apart from contemporary
Myanmar. Among the practices of contemporary Myanmar also, this research will mainly focus
on the same points practiced in most places such as procession, showing to the spirit, and
novitiation. As an aspect of literature, this research will focus on the Vinaya Pitaka, especially,
 Mahavagga Pali, its commentaries, sub-commentaries, and other eminent Myanmar scholarly
works.

8. Tentative Outline

Chapter I : Introduction

Chapter II : Origin of Novitiation Ceremony at the time of the Buddha

a. The First Novitiation at the Buddha time

b. The Procedures of the First Novitiation
c. Imforming the Samgha
d. Age Limitation of a Novice

Chapter III : Developments of Novitiation Ceremony in Myanmar

a. The Procedures of Novitiation in Contemporary Myanmar

b. The Tradition of Showing to the Nat-spirits
c. Procession of Novitaition Ceremony

Chapter IV : A Critical Analysis of Novitiation from Therava Perspectives

a. Procedure
b. Procession
c. Showing Nat-Spirit
d. Age Limitation

Chapter V : Conclusion

9. Possible Outcome (Hypotheses)

This research expects to contribute to the academic study of Novitiation ceremony as a
Theraveda Buddhist tradition in Myanmar. By studying a critical analysis of the Novitiation
ceremony in detail, the future generations of Myanmar Buddhists would celebrate the
Novitiation ceremony systematically.