[Buddha-l] Non Orthodox Elements within Thai Buddhism

[curt]

I think it is important to make a very clear distinction between such 
supposedly "non-orthodox" beliefs and practices as praying to "Hindu" 
Gods and believing in ghosts, on the one hand, and religiously inspired 
mob violence on other other hand. To some purists these phenomena might 
be conflatable into a single category of "degeneration", but as a Hindu 
Deity worshiping Buddhist myself, I would prefer to make this 
distinction emphatically.

On the other other hand I am not completely convinced that the crowd's 
response was unwarranted, although obviously too late. Such should 
probably be the fate of all self-appointed iconoclasts - but preferably 
before they act. This will, of course, require advanced Tantric brain 
scanning techniques and/or precognition. And since this will result in 
crowds of people "pre-emptively" beating would be iconoclasts to death, 
it will probably look even worse to some people.

- Curt

Bankei wrote:

> I have just spent a short period as ordained as a monk in Thailand and 
> was very surprised at the level of non orthodox elements within Thai 
> Buddhism. 
>  
> These include:
> - Brahmanical/Hindu deities worshiped throughout large shrines in Bangkok
> - many Buddhist temples have Brahmanical/Hindu deities, such as 
> Ganesh, on Buddhist shrines
> - Monks making large Phallus's (lifesize!) to be worn on their belts 
> as some sort of good luck charm
> - Kwanyin (of Chinese Mahayana) is very popular with some temples 
> having shrines, and many (mainly women) considering themselves 
> devotees - and refraining from eating beef etc
> - Religious tattoos are very popular, especially in the countryside. I 
> believe that these are mainly obtained for reasons of protection.
> - Amulets are very popular still
> - monks making predictions/palm reading type stuff
> - widespread belief in ghosts (Phii?), etc
>  
> Yesterday a mentally disturbed man attacked one shrine in Bangkok with 
> a hammer. This was the  famous Erawan Shrine. The Thao Maha Brahma 
> statue, which is also known as Phra Prom was smashed to pieces. The 
> perpetrator was beaten to death by an angry crowd.  
> see http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Mar2006_news02.php
>  
> When talking about these things with Thai friends, they all insist 
> these are Buddhist shrines.
>  
> I must admit that I am a rationalist bookish type of Buddhist myself, 
> so I had always considered these to be degenerations.
>  
> When I became a monk, I wanted to do it with an open mind and to go 
> along with the flow of things.
>  
> While at the temple, a local man died and his body was brought to the 
> temple. The monks chanted next to the body for 5 days. Everyone 
> believed the man's spirit hung around for these 5 days. Even some 
> senior monks told me this. I thought this very interesting considering 
> the teachings on anatta. However, my Thai was not good enough to 
> enquire in depth. (I still have a problem with tones. I remember 
> asking about ghosts, but mispronouncing the word phii and asking about 
> an elder brother)
>  
> I say all of this as I find it interesting. What is 'orthodox' 
> Theravada Buddhism? Just what is in the Pali Canon? Are Thai Buddhists 
> really Buddhists? or have they got it all wrong?
>  
> Bankei
>  
>
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