Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [41]
Theravada doctrine stresses the three principal aspects of existence: dukkha (stress, unsatisfactoriness, disease), anicca (impermanence, transience of all things) and anatta (insubstantiality or nonessentiality of reality – no permanent ‘soul’). These three concepts, outlined by Siddhartha Gautama in the 6th century BC, were in direct contrast to the Hindu belief in paramatman, an eternal, blissful self, and are considered a ‘heresy’ against India’s Brahmanic religion. Gautama, an Indian prince-turned-ascetic, subjected himself to many years of severe austerity before he realised that this was not the way to reach the end of suffering. He became known as Buddha, ‘the enlightened’ or ‘the awakened’ and spoke of four noble truths that had the power to liberate any human being who could realise them.
The ultimate end of Theravada Buddhism is nibbana (‘nirvana’ in Sanskrit), which literally means the ‘blowing out’ or extinction of all grasping and thus of all suffering (dukkha). Effectively, nibbana is also an end to the cycle of rebirths (both moment-to-moment and life-to-life) that is existence.
In reality, most Thai Buddhists aim for rebirth in a ‘better’ existence rather than the supramundane goal of nibbana. By feeding monks, giving donations to temples and performing regular worship at the local wát (local monastery) they hope to improve their lot, acquiring enough merit (puñña in Pali; bun in Thai) to prevent or at least reduce their number of rebirths. The concept of rebirth is almost universally accepted in Thailand, even by non-Buddhists, and the Buddhist theory of karma is well expressed in the Thai proverb tam dee, dâi dee; tam chôoa, dâi chôoa (good actions bring good results; bad actions bring bad results).
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TEMPLE VISITS
Because Thai Buddhists don’t adhere to strict weekly congregational days (though there are lunar holy days), a Thai temple is always open to individuals wishing to make merit. On such visits a worshipper will buy the traditional offering of lotus buds, incense and candles from nearby vendors. They’ll place the flowers on the altar, kneel (or stand, in the case of outdoor altars) before the Buddha image and light the three incense sticks, placing these between two palms in a prayerlike gesture. The head is bowed and the hands are then raised between the heart and the forehead three times before the incense is planted at the altar. It is a simple and individualistic ritual. Other merit-making activities include offering food to the temple sangha (community); meditating (individually or in groups); listening to monks chanting suttas (Buddhist discourse); and attending a têht or dhamma (teachings) talk by the abbot or some other respected teacher.
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All the Tiratana (Triple Gems) revered by Thai Buddhists – the Buddha, the dhamma (the teachings) and the sangha (the Buddhist community) – are quite visible in Thailand. The Buddha, in his myriad sculptural forms, is found on a high shelf in the lowliest roadside restaurants as well as in the lounges of expensive Bangkok hotels. The dhamma is chanted morning and evening in every temple and taught to every Thai citizen in primary school. The sangha is seen everywhere in the presence of orange-robed monks, especially in the early morning hours when they perform their alms rounds.
Thai Buddhism has no particular Sabbath day when Thais are supposed to make temple visits. Instead, Thai Buddhists visit whenever they feel like it, most often on wan prá (holy days), which occur every seventh or eighth day depending on phases of the moon.
MONKS & NUNS
Socially, every Thai male is expected to become a monk (bhikkhu in Pali; prá or prá pík·sù in Thai) for a short period in his life, optimally between the time he finishes school and the time he starts a career or marries. Men or boys under 20 years of age may enter the sangha as a 10-vow novice (samanera in Pali; nairn in Thai). A family earns great merit when one of its sons ‘takes robe and bowl’. Traditionally,