Keziah Wallis

An exploration of shinbyu and reincarnation in Myanmar

By: Olivia Sherman, SFU student For Buddhist people in Myanmar, earning merit creates a better chance of a good life after rebirth. The pursuit of merit can be understood as “the Buddhist way to develop a wise sense of self” that is often based on selfless activities such as giving, virtue, and meditation. Earning merit can happen in many different ways, but the ideal way is to give things such as food or clothing to monks. The tradition that Dr. Keziah Wallis’ lecture focuses on is called a shinbyu, the practice of turning a boy into a monk. The symbolic…

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