Novices Go Forth on Wesak
/Sunday May 15 was this year’s full moon of the month of Visakha (known as Wesak Day or Visakha Puja) when it is traditional to celebrate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing. This year we did this by holding a novice ordination (samanera pabbajja) for two of our postulants: Anagarika Barnes and Anagarika Lasse, who formally requested the Going Forth from the “home life” into “homelessness”, and donned the ochre robes of the samana (renunciant) in the ancient, traditional way. They are now known as Samanera Katañño and Samanera Khemako, respectively.
Many people came to witness the event, and wish the two new novices well in their auspicious undertaking. May their training bear the highest fruit.