A young monk, clad in robes, was sitting by the side of the road with a monk friend of his

Young Buddhist monk wearing Kasaya — Shot in Central Yangon, Myanmar

The majority of Myanmar citizens are Buddhists. When you walk around town, you will see many Buddhist monks walking around. Unlike Japan, where there are also many Buddhists, the mainstream of Buddhism in Myanmar is Theravada Buddhism. For this reason, many people become ordained, even if it is only for a period of time during their lifetime. Unlike the Japanese image of ordained monks, they do not devote their entire lives to Buddhism, but rather return to secularity after a short period of time. In Japan, being ordained is thought of as a kind of separation from the secular world, but this is not the case in Thailand, Myanmar, and other countries where Theravada Buddhism is the mainstream.

The young monk in the photo was sitting on the side of the road with his friends. In Myanmar, ordination also functions as an educational system, so many people are ordained at a young age. Many such people return to secularity when they grow up. This child is wearing a monk's robe and has a serious face now, but when she finishes her education and grows up, she may return to the priesthood.

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