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Novitiation ceremony_Mrauk-U November 2012_6
The novice's friends help him to dress.
Mandalay Myanmar , Initiation of Novicehood / Shin pyu Ceremony in Burma
For a Burmese boy, this is the most important ceremony. It is obligatory to be initiated, as he is not considered a good Buddhist until he has gone through this procedure, to become a novice ( koyin in Burmese ). For the parents, it is the best opportunity to gain the immense merit by sponsoring such a ceremony. It also marks the boys' transition from one age status to another as a kind of rite de passage. It is also the responsibility of the Buddhist parents in Burma to see their boys initiated so that the boys do not miss the most essential privilege of their existence in this world. Historically, it symbolizes the Great Renunciation of Prince Siddhatta and the initiation of his son, the young prince, Rahula.
Boys as young as Five can become a novice if they can pronounce the Pali phrases of the ceremony articulately. There is no upper age limit when the older novices are called Koyin-gyis who can be as old as 50. But it is very rare to find a fifty-year old Koyin-gyi as most boys have already joined the monastic order before they are 19. If the parents cannot afford the expense, their sons can still be sponsored by the relatives or friends. The so-called Community Shinpyu Ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular throughout the country as the cost is reduced greatly. This is when families arrange the ceremony together for all of their sons.
The young novice can leave the order at any time as they often miss their parents and home environment. Short term noviciates, lasting a few days of weeks, are quite common. But he can come back and become a koyin again when his younger brothers are old enough to be koyin or when the parents want to perform theEar-boring Ceremony for their young daughter. (The young girls can also ordain . But, the parents do not usually hold a special ceremony for them to become a Buddhist Nuns , known as Thela-shin in Burma.) The initiation can be celebrated at any time through out the year, although it usually held just before the Buddhist Lent when the weather is favorable. In practice, most parents arrange it during school holidays. Some of the young koyins become attached to the religious life and stay on to become ordained monks at the age of 19. Preparations for the ceremony are done in advance. The boy is sent to the monastery to learn how to recite the words of initiation both in the Pali and Burmese language. Invitation cards are also designed and printed in advance and sent to the relatives and friends. The friends volunteer to build a temporary palace-like pavilion, ( Man-dart ) and a classical orchestra plays traditional and classical songs ( Mingala Byaw ). A few days before the ceremony, the boy-aspirant ( Shin Laung ) has to pay homage to Lord Buddha at the local Pagodas and is also shown before the Spirits ( Nats ) for their blessings.