Daniel Min Photography

Little Buddha

While not what comes to mind when most parents send their kids away during the summer, these families from all over Virginia chose to have their sons learn about their Thai culture and Buddhism. Instead of camping, if for only one week, boys from ages 8 to 15 chose to become novice monks. Although it can bring about a drastic change in appearance - forgoing name-brand jeans for saffron robes - becoming a novice monk in Thai culture is a spiritual awakening. 

  • Without televisions and videogames, playing around trees is one of the fun things for Am Ritmaha and other candidates for novice monks to do between study times.
  • Candidates for novice monks laugh during a hair cutting ceremony at Pasantidhamma Buddhist Temple. As part of tradition, Jacob Read, right, and other candidates are holding their first-cut locks of hair on lotus leaves.
  • Senior monks Methawee Bhikku and Phramaha Putthachak Buddhisaro shave heads and eyebrows of novice monks. Shaving is symbolic of purifying one's self and peeling away the temporary from one's body.
  • After shaving their heads and eyebrows, clockwise from left, Am Ritmaha, Steven Younagul, Zach Read and Jacob Read inspect their new looks. {quote}It feels weird without hair and eyebrows,{quote} Stephen says.
  • Methawee Bhikku, center, a senior monk, helps Keith Chainam change to a traditional saffron-colored robe during the novice ordination ceremony.
  • Am Ritmaha, Keith Chainam and Steven Younagul learn and memorize the ten precepts in Pali, the ancient Indian language spoken by Buddha in the 5th century B.C. Methawee Bhikkhu, a senior monk, helps them with their lessons.
  • Joseph Bray chants and meditates during evening training. The novice monks chant and meditate three times a day in Pali and in English.
  • After long day of chanting, praying and meditating, little monks share jokes each other.
  • Phramaha Putthachak Buddhisaro, a senior monk, keeps an eye on James Rimnongrua, left, Am Ritmaha and other young monks as they learn harmony.
  • James Rimnongrua, left, bows to Buddha as Methawee Bhikku, a senior monk, helps Joseph Bray get comfortable at the end of the day. Before sleep, the young monks bow three times to Buddha and their teachers to show respect and gratitude.
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