Novice Ordination Program to Revive Buddhism in Thailand is an annual summer training course that prepares male youth between the ages of 9-19 for temporarily ordination as novice monks during the months of March and April.
Objective
The International Buddhist Society (IBS), under the patronage of His Holiness Somdet Phramaharatchamangkhlachan, and in collaboration with various private and public sectors, annually organizes the ‘Novice Ordination Program to Revive Buddhism in Thailand’. The program is in compliance with the goal to enhance the quality of basic education by instilling virtues, morals, national pride, public-spirit, and thriftiness in our youth. It also aims to fortify our young boys and men with the ability to adapt to the growing cultural diversity as Thailand enters the ASEAN economic community by fostering good habits using Buddhist moral principles.
Environmental Impact
In today’s high tech world, people are connected to each other and the world through various social networking sites, and it is leaving a huge impact on youth who spend a great deal of time on these sites. With the excessive amount of time connecting with friends through social media, youth are isolating themselves and neglecting their parents, families, relatives, and teachers.
Pre-adolescence and adolescence are a time for exploration, social interactions, and self-confidence development. They ought to be filled with fun and play spent with family and friends who share similar interests. Therefore, teaching our youth to have greater discretion and the ability to make responsible decisions are useful skills to have. There are many components that can positively shape a youth’s outlook and develop him or her into an individual with sound judgment. This process can begin by learning from good mentors whom they are close to and practicing good habits.
Cultivate Exemplary Traits
The flux and changes in pre-adolescence and adolescence are normal conditions during this transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. The novice ordination program believes that giving our youth the appropriate training and guidance will help them stay on the right path as they develop into wholesome adults.
The program strives to cultivate in our youth the virtues of cleanliness, discipline, politeness, punctuality, respectfulness, and a love for meditation. These five basic virtues will become the foundation for improved quality of life and better performance in school.
Developing into a True Gentleman
Once our youth understand the principles and benefits of maintaining the Five Precepts (moral discipline), they will have greater respect for themselves and others. They will possess increased awareness of what are appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and will naturally be disinclined to promiscuity, aggressive and violent behaviors, and drugs and activities leading to ruin.
Through this training course, our youth will acquire understanding and skills in the follow areas:
*The impacts of social media and know how to protect themselves from the influences to commit unwholesome deeds
*Adaptability to the constant changes in society
*Being a good son to one’s parents and a good student to one’s teachers
*Teamwork
*Ways to co-exist harmoniously with others
*Problem solving
*Being tactful, logical, positive, constructive and considerate in society.
