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"Ordination” is a part of rite of passage, meaning a transition of a teenage boy to a man "adolescence." In a traditional society, women and men are separated when they are in puberty. Young women are in rite of passage called Chol Mlub while men are in pagodas ordinated as monks. Women role is to take care of household chores and men explore or trade, so they can have enough basic knowledge. Therefore, in Khmer language, people say “Buos Rean” meaning to send boys to learn lifelong skills as well. Ordination ceremony are seen in many districts and regions across the country, and here are examples of locals who perform the ordination ceremony at Wat Athvar, Wat Angkor Mol and Wat Svay Leu in the Angkor area of Siem Reap province.
Ordination ceremony at the Angkor area is celebrated by retaining many ancient traditions, and it is very solemn, as many villagers attend, sometimes in dozens, and with the participation of many close relatives. In that ceremony, there are accessories for the venerable person, and the main accessories that cannot be missed are srey ban rice, rice soul, Angkor Reab. Tver tmenh tools, Popil, monk bowl, coconut slator and monk robe. Apart from this, there must be Chum for maker, musician and Khgner.
Ordination can be divided into two stages. In the early stages, all the young men put on make-up and costumes in a way that they are monk nor ordinary men; men nor women and not even called them as human but a dragon (Neak in Khmer language), that is why the ceremony is called dragon ordination or (Buos Neak).
During the make-up, people use turmeric powder, powder and jewelry, to transform young men to girls. In some areas, the make-up is done at the ceremony house before going to the pagoda, but in other places, such as the locals around Athvar pagoda, Angkor area, Siem Reap province, they do make up and put on costumes at pagoda.
From the evening of the first day, a priest (Achar in Khmer language) and the relatives of the dragon perform a blessing ceremony to worship the Preah Ratanatray - the next task is to summon the dragon's soul and tie hand for dragon. At this point, the Achar opens a sutra called "Dragon's Soul" to read (in some areas, the dragon's soul summon ends at dawn, along with the "Sucking the dragon’s soul”. The end of this task is to rotate Popil for the dragon. Then the Achar performed Angkor Reab, measuring the flat rice using the traditional scale, with a clock, a ship, and letting all the dragons lie on the flat rice prepared by the Acha. In the early morning, the dragon has to search the flat rice which he slept on. Then the Achar prepares for teeth cleaning ceremony for the dragon. At around 7 or 8 in the morning, they started the dragon procession by leaving the pagoda and passing through the town before returning to the pagoda. Sometimes they come together and pay homage to Angkor Wat three times before going to the pagoda. During this procession (except during the procession in AngkorWat) Dragons highly praised because all people, young and old, all travel on foot, and dragons usually ride horses or even elephants. If there is a shortage of horses, the dragon is allowed to sit on a bicycle with his grandmother or sister walking in front of him. For villagers who live far from pagoda, as in the case of Svay Leu villagers, the dragon procession is carried by a bullock cart decorated with colorful flowers, and the locals can ride a bullock cart. A dragon, however, the seat of the dragon is still supreme. The procession is accompanied by Pin Peat or Chai Yam music. Before entering the pagoda, all the dragons have to do the work of “worshiping the sun at the gate of the pagoda. At Angkor Mol pagoda, the sun worship is done in front of the temple. At the end of the task, they offered three rounds of prayers to the temple. What is interesting at Angkor Mol pagoda is that when marching to the temple, the dragon rides his brother or sister. At the end of the procession, the dragon enters the temple to perform the last important task called "Oub Bacheer” which is the transition from a dragon to a monk. A monk who performs this task is called "Oub Bacheer” is a monk who has been ordinated for at least 10 years and has a deep dharma discipline. During the task, Neak has to memorize some dharma in order to reply to the monk. Last of all, is “Teak Kor Neak” it is when the dragon had to change his clothes and take off his jewelry and take over the robe of Chipor, and leave his life in this world and his home to start a monkhood in a pagoda.
As already mentioned above, ordination at this time is a stage to practice self-discipline and learn various skills before living in society and starting a family. Therefore, the Cambodian society values man who was ordinated as a monk and they want him to be their son-in-law because they understand that the man is educated and skillful.
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