What is "pabbajja"

Pabbajja ( Pali; Skt.: pravrajya) literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of monks ( bhikkhus). This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice (m. samanera, f. samaneri). It is sometimes referred to as "lower ordination." After a period or when the novice reaches 20 years of age, the novice can be considered for the upasampada ordination (or "higher ordination") whereby the novice becomes a monk ( bhikkhu) or nun ( bhikkhuni).

In some traditional Theravada countries, such as Myanmar, boys undergo pabbajja ( Shinbyu) at the age of puberty. In Mahayana countries such as China and Japan, the pabbajja is preceded by a probationary period.