by Nguyen Vu Phuoc
18th July, 2022

Home-leaving for filial piety is a long-standing tradition of the Khmer people in the south, during which the ceremony is usually held before or after the Chol Chnam Thmay Festival.



According to the custom of the Khmer in the south, young men at the age of 16 and older often leave their homes, going to the temple to become monks and studying for one to several years. This is completely voluntary, as they go to the temple for spiritual practice. Home-leaving for filial piety towards grandparents and parents is a thing of beauty in the community of young Khmer Buddhists.



Another important thing is that only young people who have undergone spiritual practice at the temple have the opportunity to get married. Girls and their families only like boys who have experienced monastic life.



In the culture of the Khmer in the south, home-leaving to become a monk has various forms. Based on the faith and happiness in the Three Refuges and Buddha Dharma, the monks will make a vow to practice a holy life for the rest of their lives. Besides, many people decide to leave their home for filial piety towards their parents, and the practice time depends on each person’s decision.



The Khmer community is strongly influenced by folk beliefs as well as Brahmanism and Buddhism, especially Buddhism. The Buddhist culture has dominated most of the Khmer's life. They keep a belief in their mind that, according to the Buddha's teachings, there is no better filial piety than becoming a monk to repay the favor of nurture and upbringing. This practice will significantly influence the practitioner’s mind to keep the precepts dignified and pure, at least the ten precepts. In addition, through the guidance of the priests' training and education in morality, they will transform bad habits into good ones. The merits of that good karma are all for their grandparents and parents.

full 38 photos https://www.boredpanda.com/home-leaving ... gn=organic

Thanks for that.

It's always been hard for me to reconcile, Buddhism, "the religion of compassion and enlightenment" with day to day Khmer society.
As a comparison I'd say Shinto expresses itself more in the day to day.
Although other things are hard to reconcile, religiously, politically and socially with Buddhism in other places as well--Militant Mahayanas in Tibet, effectively communist monks in Vietnam--or further afield or closer to home, Christian Trappist or Franciscan monks in Europe and the Latin world.
This could go on and on.
Point being, when I see a woman in the market selling a pile of live, skinned frogs or seeing a cute little girl on the riverfront twist and break a terrified, living wishbirds wings... it's hard to see "Buddhism" or even "Animism"--It comes across as more African or Haitian or something, as in attaining control and power.