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Pabbajjā

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Pabbajjā (Pali; Skt.: pravrajyā) literally means "to go forth" and refers to an ordination in Buddhism when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of bhikkhus (fully ordained monks). This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice (m. samanera, f. samaneri). It is sometimes referred to as "lower ordination". It is the ceremony that precedes the upasampadā ordination and allows the novice to experience monastic life for the first time. After a period or when the novice reaches 20 years of age, the novice can be considered for the upasampadā ordination (or "higher ordination") whereby the novice becomes a monk (bhikkhu) or nun (bhikkhuni). It has been used in pre-Buddhist religions along with traditions of later Buddhism. The role of pabbajjā to become a samanera is a way to train oneself in separation to experience spiritual transformation.