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milbisous — Filial Piety
Published: 2008-02-22 04:22:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 1882; Favourites: 55; Downloads: 0
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Description
Watercolors on Arches 9” X 12” 300lbs CP paper.Photo ref comes from Sam Bloomfield on sxc.hu
Monks are a common sight in Thailand. What, however, interested me, during my visit there in November 2006, was to see young boys in monks’ garbs. The tour guide then explained that it was a custom for Thai young men to do something good for their mothers and themselves. By entering monk hood for some time, they could help their parents, especially mothers, go to paradise after their death. In the case of the tour guide, he was a monk for a month, during school vacation.
To be a monk, the young men have to, of course, have their heads shaved. They have to wear the orange garb that is just a wrap around, and no underwear. Unlike monks in other parts of Asia, monks in Thailand could eat certain kind of meat on certain days of the week. The young monks' daily duty is to get up early to pray, then to go out for alms donations which are usually food that will be their breakfast and lunch. They have to take their lunch by 11AM, before noon time. After midday, they are not allowed to eat, until the next day. The rest of the day would be spent in watching TV, playing videogame and to pray. They have to go to sleep early for the next day routine.
I find the story interesting, so was inspired to paint the young monks.
Hope you like this work. And as usual, I appreciate all comments and critique
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Comments: 98
Belated thank you for your feedback. Now looking at what you pointed out, maybe I need to touch up to make his head..rounder 
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You are very much welcome.
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Belated thank you for your feedback
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I wish I could provide you with more feedback, but I'm no expert, I can only say that I find it truly beautiful
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Wow, so many comments already, I hope you find the time to read this one! An excellent painting again. The detail of the robes and even the way you can tell their feet are in motion is great. You can tell that they are walking slowly, as monks are apt to do. The only critique I would have is that the faces do not seem to be the focus of the painting, as if you didn't spend as much time on the faces as other parts. But otherwise awesome job, and great story behind it!
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You're right, I put less emphasis on the faces, especially when they are in the shade and less visible. I'm not a realist painter, so I do not go for every single detail. Thanks for your critique
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great work, lovely colours, very well rendered. Great effect, lovley, I like it A LOT
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Livia dear, I'm happy to read your comments, always. Thanks!
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Very nice composition and colors. The clothes are perfectly painted. I'm impressed.
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Thank you Christel for your kind words
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You have a spectacular talent for garments. Brilliant work.
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Oh, I'd have to say you have me beaten on fabrics. 
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Very nice description on your side and interesting debates between you and *p-e-a-k .
In the picture, they look like a group of new novice monk in the capital from their bright orange robes. Monks who have entered monk hood for years or ones who live in the northern part wear a bit brown or reddish brown (or safran color? - maybe.)
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Aww thanks for the info about the colors of the monks garbs 
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What the tour guide was telling you is generally a doctrine in which most Thai people have believed for ages but it is definitely NOT the fact from the Buddha's teaching. To me, I'll interpret the tour guide's explaination as the novice monks' parents would be as joyous as if they're in heaven when they see their sons entering the serenity of monk hood.
In (Buddhist) fact, mothers cannot go to heaven by their sons' matter. The story you're told is just a mass belief.
On the whole, there're also Heavens and Hells in Buddhism. It is truly a supernatural tale of a great length to tell in a year! Not sure if there's any translated version.
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I also believed it was a "mass belief", for I read it is still being practiced in your country. I agree with you that just the joy seeing sons entering monk hood reassures the parents about their lives after death
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Coucou, merci pour ton soutien moral perpetuel et pour le
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c'est normal tu le mérites ma belle
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I really like this picture because the topic interests me a lot.
I must say i imagined the monks' life a bit more tedious. Now that i know their routine, I think i could definitely become one of them. TV, praying, no underwear - sign me up!
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Are you sure you want to be a novice monk (that's to say if they accept women) if you know that aside from playing video games, there are also long hours of tedious chanting and praying? 
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hehe, well i dont mind sitting in the lotus pose for a while
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Thank you Buble dear for your kind comment
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Beautiful watercolor, Orange is good color...zen
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Thank you f0ofo0
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Thank you
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Oh dear, you’re not taking this “Buddhism for Tourists” your tour guide sold you seriously, are you?
The whole idea of intercession by third parties = a boy becoming a monk/ novice so his parents can go to Paradise and what happens if you have only daughters….. well, lets be charitable and just say I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it if I were you.
There is no God in Buddhism, so who do you want to intercede with by becoming a monk for your parents?
There is no Paradise either or any afterlife to spend there. You live in the here and now, you die, and then you are reborn. The aim is to become better and better throughout subsequent lives, until you finally reach perfection. Then you enter the state of Nirvana = non-being/ nothingness and you are not reborn.
If your present (or future life) is good or bad depends entirely on your deeds in a previous life or in this present one respectively – it is all up to you, not to others. What you have to do is try to be as good as you possibly can in order to gain merit, and one way to gain merit is by becoming a monk, a novice (a monk for a limited time) or a nun.
Yes, there are Buddhist nuns – so maybe that answers your worries about girls. Like the men they shave their heads and eyebrows, they live in their own nunneries but unlike the monks in their safran coloured robes the nuns wear white.
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You tend to often misunderstand me
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As for your monks’ parents – sorry, their sons’ action might have bought them a bit of merit for their next life, but by this alone they are not going to reach Nirvana.
The Dalai Lama and a few other old, wise and holy monks who have attained a very high spiritual level might reach Nirvana, but your monks’ parents will have to be re-born many more times to get there.
The fact that they are married, have children, live their daily lives etc. means that they are still very much a part of the material world and so on a low spiritual level. They have a very long way to go yet.
Your guide’s information was facile, sloppy, inaccurate and made for tourist consumption.
But, hey, if you want to believe the act of becoming a novice kicks the parents straight to Nirvana…… my dear - whatever floats your boat, it’s no skin of my nose!
And those are just another two expression!
And now, before we continue this discussion (should you be so minded) I strongly recommend you study the Buddha’s teaching first, so you know what’s what.
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Oh la la, madame, look who’s talking here
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Yeah, well, sorry about the long lecture but YOU asked.
I have a lot of respect and admiration for the Buddha's teachings, which is why it makes me hopping mad when tour-guides spout this "Buddhism for Dummies" kind of childish nonsense. Obviously they take it for granted that foreigners are too stupid to understand the real thing. Bloody condescending, if you really think about it! I resent that - and so should you!
As for having only daughters... my dear, what can I say!? Unfortunately in Buddhism, like in practically all other religions, women don't count for much. So if you have only daughters (or if you yourself are of the female persuasion) - aiiiiiaaaaa, your Karma is pretty lousy already because of some misdeeds in former lives. I don't think there is very much you can do, except try to live a very good and pious life (maybe adopt a son???) and hope for a better re-birth next time - hopefully as a man!
(Don't ask me which woman in her right might would want this, but there you go.....)
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Madame is a talker
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Another beautiful piece, love the colour and the light!
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I'm also happy you like it
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