As part of an annual ceremony, young boys gather crossed legged in traditional robes in Jogye temple in Seoul, to have their heads shaved and fully immerse themselves in Buddhist life.
The event is part of the preparations being made by South Korean Buddhists to celebrate Buddha’s upcoming birthday on May 27, where children will shed their worldly possessions to become Buddhist monks for three weeks.
In Buddhism, head shaving is part of ‘Pabbajja’. Pabbajja is when a person leaves their home and ‘goes forth’ to live the life of a Buddhist monk.
The traditional grey robes worn by the children, known as ‘Gasa’ are supposed to symbolise detachment from material possessions.
To officially become a Buddhist monk in South Korea, it’s mandatory to have graduated high school to ensure they make an educated decision.
After their makeovers, the novice monks then spend 21 days at the temple without their parents learning about Buddhism and its practices and principles, fostering a greater understanding of their faith, spirituality, and cultural heritage.
Monks attend the ‘Children becoming Buddhist monks’ ceremony at the Jogyesa temple in Seoul, South Korea, behind them young boys wait to have their heads shaved as part of the event (Picture: EPA)A South Korean child monk sits patiently as his head is shaved by an elder monk. Buddha’s Birthday, or ‘Buddha Purnima’, is a major festival celebrated throughout East and South Asia (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)The event pays tribute to the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Gautama Buddha and the founder of Buddhism. (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)A South Korean child is held still as he has his head shaved by a Buddhist monk during an event to celebrate Buddha’s upcoming birthday (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)Ritualistic head shaving is part of Pabbajja, when someone ‘goes forth’ to live the life of a Buddhist monk (Picture: EPA)A young boy is all smiles after his head is shaved during a ceremony to commemorate the upcoming birthday of Gautama Buddha, who according to Buddhist tradition, was born in Lumpini, Nepal (Picture: EPA)A participant of the ceremony watches on as the festivities to commemorate Buddha’s upcoming birthday. In South Korea, it is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar, a date that varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar (Picture: EPA)The young monks pose for a photo with an elder monk – their newly shaved heads represent a devotion to the monastic life they will live for the next 21 days (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)A novice monk’s robe is adjusted during the event to celebrate the upcoming Buddha’s birthday – Mala beads used for meditative counting sit in front of him (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)A young monk looks down at the mala beads around his neck (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)A boy is given a gift of flowers by his mother to congratulate him on his transition to novice monk (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)A young boy looks on during the ceremony to celebrate the upcoming Buddha’s birthday at Jogye Temple in Seoul. This unique birthday celebration is a testament to the rich cultural diversity and religious traditions of South Korea, and highlights the importance of honouring one’s faith and cultural heritage. (Picture: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)The new monks pose for photos with their elders who they will stay with for 21 days (Picture: EPA)
