Fresno's Cambodian Buddhist Society honoring new abbot

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- For newly appointed abbot Bunthon Say, religion runs in the family.

"My father also was a Buddhist monk before he got married with my mom," he said.

His father and brother both served as Buddhist monks. Say decided early on he wanted to follow in their footsteps.

"I asked again and again until he allowed me to be a monk," he said.

Say was born in Cambodia and studied Buddhism in Sri Lanka before becoming a monk in 2005.

Now, he's assuming a new title - abbot.

"He makes the decision on behalf of the rules of law in the Buddhist religion," says Danny Kim.

The ceremony served as the start of Says' leadership, with monks from across the country joining for the celebration.

"It's the inauguration providing the ranking and the control to the Buddhist monk, so we have some sort of leadership in the religious part of it," Kim said.

Say will now provide leadership and guidance to the Fresno Cambodian Buddhist Society.

"To take them, to guide them how to be a Buddhist people," he said. "How to be devoted, how to be a good person in the community."