Bhubaneswar: In a first-of-its-kind event, 40 scholars (girls and boys) from Thailand were ordained as Buddhist monks at Buddha Mandir here Friday.
The event was organised in collaboration with Thai-Indo China Friendship Society (Thailand) and Mahabodhi Society in the prayer hall of the Buddha temple.
Three girl students from Maharashtra were also ordained at the event which was conducted in the presence of 100 government officials of Thai-Indo China Friendship Society (Thailand) and Buddhist Monk Society.
The general secretary of Mahabodhi Society Siouli Thero, Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, ex-minister Debi Mishra and Amar Prasad Satpathy, society’s Odisha branch president Bimalendu Mohanty, Central Committee Vice-President Abasara Beuria and many eminent personalities graced the occasion.
A peace rally was also organised from Buddha Mandir to Dhauli Peace Pagoda after the event. The Buddhist scholars who attended the event from across the world visited other places of Buddhist interest such as Ratnagiri, Khandagiri and Udayagiri.
The purpose of the monastic life is union with God, the means is through leaving the world (i.e., the life of the passions). After tonsure, orthodox monks and nuns are never permitted to cut their hair. … The tonsure of monks is the token of a consecrated life, and it symbolises the cutting-off of their self-will said Bimalendu Mohanty.
Last year, more than 200 devotees and members of Drukpa lineage, an international Buddhist group, had gathered in the city for the Eco Pad Yatra of five Buddhist sites in October.
The purpose of that journey was raising awareness on environmental preservation and women empowerment. That was the 16th edition of the Pad Yatra, which was led by the Gyalwang Drukpa and His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche. More than 100 monks and nuns of the Drukpa lineage and 200 devotees from across the world form the group. They had undertaken a 140-km foot journey in Odisha to raise awareness about environmental preservation.