🙏 Blessing by monks
The family invites monks to chant paritta for the baby, or takes the baby to the vihara. The chanting is a wish for good health, safety and a good life. It is a blessing, not a prayer to a creator God.
Buddhism: Worship and Practice » Birth and Coming of Age in Buddhism
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 2 Buddhism (4RS1/2A), 3.3
- What a rite of passage is and why Buddhist customs differ from country to country
- How Buddhist families celebrate the birth of a baby
- How some boys come of age as novice monks, and what happens for girls
- Why many families value these rites, and why some Buddhists keep them simple or skip them
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Unlock This CourseRites of passage: marking the big steps in life
A rite of passage is a ceremony that marks an important step in a person's life, such as being born, growing up, marrying or dying. Most religions have them. This lesson looks at the first two for Buddhists: birth and coming of age. Marriage and death are covered in the next lesson, Marriage and Death Rituals in Buddhism.
Here is the key fact. The Buddha did not lay down a fixed set of ceremonies for these moments. His teaching was about ending suffering, not about ritual. So Buddhist rites of passage grew up over time and customs differ from country to country. What a family does in Thailand can look very different from what a family does in Tibet, Japan or the UK.
Key terms:
- Rite of passage (recap from Family Life: Types of Family, Roles and Responsibilities): a ceremony that marks an important step in life.
- Paritta: short protective verses, taken from the Buddha's teaching, that monks chant to give blessing and protection.
- Novice: a boy or young man who has taken the first steps towards becoming a monk, wearing robes and following extra training rules, but not yet fully ordained.
- Shinbyu: the Myanmar (Burmese) ceremony in which a boy becomes a novice monk, usually for a short time.
Birth: welcoming a new life
Buddhists see a human birth as precious, and the arrival of a baby is a happy time. There is no single Buddhist birth ceremony, but many families in Buddhist countries follow similar customs:
👶 Naming
Families often ask a monk, or in Tibetan Buddhist families a lama, to help choose or give the baby's name. The name may be chosen to carry good wishes.
The family also makes offerings. They give food to the monks (dana, which means generous giving) and may share the merit of this giving with the baby. Merit is the good kamma that comes from kind and generous actions. In this way the baby's life begins surrounded by the Sangha, the Buddhist community, and by the Dhamma, the Buddha's teaching.
Why do these customs differ?
Because no ceremony was fixed by the Buddha, Buddhists took the teachings with them into each country and mixed them with local customs. That is why a Thai blessing, a Tibetan naming by a lama and a quiet naming at home in the UK can all be Buddhist.
Coming of age: becoming a novice monk
In many Theravada countries, such as Myanmar and Thailand, it is common for boys to spend a short time as a novice monk. Here is how it works in Myanmar, where the ceremony is called the shinbyu:
- The celebration. The boy is often dressed in fine clothes, like a prince, and may ride in a procession with family and friends. This recalls Prince Siddhartha, who lived in a palace before he left it to search for enlightenment.
- The change. At the monastery his head is shaved and he puts on the simple robes of a novice. This recalls Siddhartha giving up his rich life.
- The promises. He takes the Three Refuges and the ten novice precepts, which are more training rules than the Five Precepts that lay Buddhists follow.
- The stay. He lives like a monk, studying, meditating and eating what he is given. The time can be a few days, weeks or longer, and then he may return to ordinary life.
This is not the same as the full ordination of a monk for life, which is a bigger commitment (see the lesson The Sangha: Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis and Bodhisattvas). It is a rite of passage that shows a boy is growing up and taking his religion seriously.
What about girls?
In Myanmar, girls do not become novice monks in this way. Instead, a girl's ear-piercing ceremony is often held alongside her brother's shinbyu. The family celebrates both children growing up at the same event.
Why do families value these rites?
🌟 Merit
Giving to monks and seeing a son ordain as a novice are believed to earn good kamma for the whole family.
👫 Belonging
The rites bring relatives, neighbours and monks together. The child is shown to be part of the Buddhist community.
👣 A start on the path
Blessing a baby, or living as a novice, begins a person's education in the Dhamma, the Buddha's teaching.
Different attitudes within Buddhism
Not all Buddhists agree on how important these rites are. This is a favourite exam point, so learn both sides.
- For: in countries where Buddhism is the main religion, these customs link families to the Sangha, pass on the Dhamma and bring joy and merit.
- Simple or none: the Buddha set no fixed ceremonies, so some Buddhists feel rituals are optional. Many Buddhists in the West, especially those who became Buddhists as adults, may keep birth celebrations simple, such as a family blessing or a visit to the vihara, or have no ceremony at all. They may feel that practising the Five Precepts and meditation matters more than ritual.
Common mistakes
- Saying the Buddha ordered a set birth ceremony. He did not, and that is why customs vary.
- Saying every Buddhist boy becomes a monk. It is common in some Theravada countries, but it is usually for a short time and it is not a rule for all Buddhists.
- Calling the monks' chanting a prayer to God. Buddhists do not teach a creator God, so it is a blessing and a wish for good.
- Describing a ceremony without saying why it matters. Always add the reason, such as merit or belonging.
Exam-style question
Paper 2, Buddhism. (a) [4 marks] Outline two ways in which Buddhists celebrate the birth of a baby.
Model answer (a)
Monks are invited to chant paritta, which are protective verses (1), as a blessing for the baby's health and safety (1). The family gives food to the monks as dana (1), and shares the merit with the baby, so the baby's life starts with good kamma (1).
(b) [6 marks] Explain why coming of age rites, such as the shinbyu, are important for Buddhists.
Model answer (b)
In the shinbyu a boy in Myanmar becomes a novice monk for a short time. It is important because it recalls Siddhartha leaving his palace, so the boy copies the example of the Buddha by having his head shaved, putting on robes and taking the precepts (1). Families believe it earns merit, the good kamma from giving and supporting the Sangha, for the boy and his parents (1). It shows he is growing up and taking his religion seriously (1). It also gives him a start on the path, because he studies the Dhamma and learns to meditate (1). The ceremony brings relatives, neighbours and monks together, which strengthens the community (1). This is why many families see it as one of the most important events in a child's life (1).
(c) [10 marks] 'Rites of passage are not important for Buddhists.' Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view, and your own opinion with reasoned arguments.
Model answer (c): a short plan
For the statement: the Buddha laid down no fixed ceremonies, so none is needed to be a Buddhist (teaching). His message was about ending suffering through the Noble Eightfold Path. Some Western Buddhists keep rites simple or have none and still follow the Five Precepts and meditate.
Against the statement: in Theravada countries like Myanmar and Thailand, the shinbyu and monks' blessings are central to family life. They bring merit, show belonging and begin a child's learning of the Dhamma. They also keep the link between the lay community and the Sangha alive.
Possible conclusion: the rites are not essential to following the Buddha's path, but they are important to many Buddhists as a way to build community and merit, so the statement is only partly true. The strongest answer says it depends on the country and tradition.
Exam tip
In a 10-mark Discuss question, include a different view from within Buddhism. Here, contrast Buddhists in countries like Myanmar with Western converts who keep rites simple.
Recap
- A rite of passage marks a step in life. The Buddha set no fixed ceremonies, so customs differ by country.
- Birth: monks chant paritta, a name may be given, and the family makes offerings and shares merit.
- Coming of age: in Myanmar and Thailand many boys spend a short time as novice monks. In Myanmar a girl's ear-piercing is often held with her brother's shinbyu.
- Families value the rites for merit, belonging and a start on the path. Some Buddhists, especially Western converts, keep them simple or skip them.