University of Virginia Library

`Sukhwan nag' text

This is an English translation of a ritual text which is recited by the
paahm or mau khwan at the ceremony of calling the khwan [spirit essence]
of the candidate [nag] before his ordination as Buddhist novice or monk.

The text begins with the `namo', which is a Pali prayer in praise of
the Buddha commonly used in Buddhist worship. The Pali words, repeated
three times, are `Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambudahassa'
meaning `We worship the Blessed One, Arahat, Supreme Lord Buddha'.
The words of the rest of the text are in the ordinary North-east Lao
language and are freely translated here.

This is an auspicious day and year. All of us consisting of elders and
thao phaya[3] have come together to perform sukhwan ceremony for the
nag, who is going to be separated from his parents in order to receive
the Buddhist triple gems [Buddha, Dhamma (doctrine) and Sangha (order
of monks)]. You [the nag] will see happiness, doubt, self emptied of soul,
disease, death and the transformation into spirit [phii] and of not returning
to life. You have faith, your relatives have faith, merit is made and transferred.
Parents have brought you up since you were a child, since you were
in your mother's womb. Whatever the trials faced by your mother, she
showed perseverance and patience before childbirth. Then you were born.
Your mother had to feed you with chewed rice three times a day and
bathed you three or four times a day. Your mother was industrious. When
it rained or thunder broke, she embraced you and held you close to her
breast and put you to sleep. She placed a pillow next to you to make you
warm.

When you grow up you become a novice and study the Buddhist
precepts. When you are of the right age to be ordained, you go and inform
your relations. They get ready your mat and pillow, upper and lower
robes, your monk's bowl, bag, walking stick, fan and needle. [These are

the requisites of a monk.] All these are put together with your other
possessions such as knife and cushion. The pile of gifts looks beautiful,
and it is gathered together so that the one to be ordained may be free
from suffering, live happily and long, for at least a hundred years. May
your life extend to 5,000 years and be blessed with good fortune.

Today is said to be an auspicious day. We are gathered together to
conduct the Khwan Chao Nag[4] ceremony. Come khwan, don't go to the
forest in search of pleasure. Don't go to look at the gibbon for your pleasure.
Don't look for wildfowl and be enticed by its pleasing call. Don't go in
search of the wild bull; don't be led astray by looking at a herd of elephants
in the forest; don't be led away by looking into caves for pleasure in the
mountains. Don't lose yourself by looking at the wild monkey, sparrow,
tiger, lion, rhinoceros and elephant. Don't tarry in the cave or at the
pond looking at the beautiful fish and the scented lotus. Bring all these
khwan and enter your body and reside with us. If ordained may you
become the head of the wat; when you are a layman may you be a master
with servants. May you have honour and fame which will spread to near
and far places three times a day. May you have a retinue to accompany
you when you make a trip. May you be blessed with power and victory
over cruel Mara [the demon enemy of Buddha]. May Mara prostrate
himself at your feet, and may all your enemies come and worship you
with offerings every day, every hour in the manner of my prayer.