Sandra cates pioneering ethnography of art making at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist temple in wimbledon, england, explores contemporary art at the crossroads of identity, authority, and value. Makha bucha is a widely observed event, celebrated by over 30,000 wats temples nationwide. The author, a thai buddhist, writes that making merit is beneficial to both the. Making religious merit high on thais new years list. The topic is karma and merit in thai buddhism and thus we will define at first the. In many ways, this is the buddhist act of merit par excellence.
Hanks merit and power in the thai social order, american anthropologist 64 1962. Buddhism in thailand has also become integrated with folk religion as well as chinese religions from the large thai chinese population. Sandra cates pioneering ethnography of art making at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist temple in wimbledon, england. It is about understanding buddhism the way it is practiced in thailand. The latter is an especially suggestive article and has an english summary.
I had been thinking about the motivation behind merit making and the righteousness freely offered in christ when i saw on the book rack at 711 a book entitled accumulating merit. Thai buddhism is a curious blend of buddhist teachings, taoism and local animism. There is a thai saying which says that if you do good. In creating a buddhist community, jiemin bao shows how the wat thai participants practice buddhism and rework gender relationships in the course of organizing temple space, teaching meditation, schooling children in thai language and culture, merit making, fundraising, and celebrating festivals. To assure a better position in the next life, merit is gained by feeding the monks. Buddhist female ascetics and gendered orders in thailand. Such transfer is done mentally, and it is believed that the recipient can often receive this merit, if they rejoice in the. Thai cave boys and coach to enter monkhood in honor of fallen diver. More than 40 percent of bangkok people surveyed said making merit at buddhist temples would be their top priority over the new year holiday, while another survey said the money spent by thais returning home and shopping would push holiday spending to a year high, helping to boost consumption, an important driver of.
The legend of phra malai, a buddhist monk of the theravada tradition. Dear buddhist, i would like to discuss basic good deeds or virtue that we all are seeking. As its pali language the language of theravada buddhism, as practiced in. Important concepts that were used with regard to buddhist kingship are merit sanskrit. Thai temple protocolmaking merit fodors travel talk forums.
Buddhism in thailand is largely of the theravada school, which is followed by 94. Most males are monks at least one time in their life. Gnh of business, 7 9 november 2017 biographical profile of bee scherer bee scherer is the director of the intersectional centre for. Laypersons practice it by giving to the monks support of a more material kind, especially food, robes, and shelter. I got a book about thai buddhism and hope to get myself better educated before i go. Between 1984 and 1992, twentysix young thai artists painted a series of temple murals. Phra malais journeys to heaven and hell the legend of phra malai, a buddhist monk of the theravada tradition said to have attained supernatural powers through his accumulated merit and meditation, is the main text in a nineteenthcentury thai folding book samut khoi held in the thai, lao and cambodian collections or. Despite such constraints, the community bonds with the thai royal family, highranking monks, and the thai elite, and also forges class alliances with men and women of diverse ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds in the process of merit making, articulating their thai ness, and displaying their class status. They see treeordination ceremonies as an act of making merit, which. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts.
Buddhist temples in thailand are characterized by tall golden stupas, and the buddhist architecture of thailand is similar to that. Between 1984 and 1992, twentysix young thai artists painted a series of temple murals that continue to attract worshippers and tourists from around. Sandra cate sandra cates pioneering ethnography of art making at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist temple in wimbledon, england, explores contemporary art at. Monks engage in it by giving the dharma to laypersons in the form of sermons or advice, or by the example of their own lives. Synopsis sandra cates pioneering ethnography of art making at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist temple in wimbledon, england, explores contemporary art at the crossroads of identity, authority, and value. Making fields of merit presents a unique ethnography of thai buddhist nuns, examines what it implies to be a female ascetic in contemporary thailand, and analyzes how the ordained state for women fits into the wider gender patterns found in thai society. Namely, they want to have happiness and prosperity, good luck, success in their job responsibilities, and people who are faithful to them.
The food, esp when there is a buddhist holy day, is actually free at the temple. Monks walk to take their places on the terrace surrounding wat phra dhammakayas cetiya dome before sunset. I picked it up and found and a chapter near the beginning of the book entitled, why we make merit. People throughout the country engage in merit making activities. I grew up in a chinese family where we also go to chineses temples so i guess it does not harm whether i go to a catholic one or not. Thaipalienglish chanting book samathidhammaram centre. Thailand is one of the most populous majority buddhist countries in the world. This trip, you will experience up close and personal. Scott looks at this issue in a thai buddhist context, asking when the relationship between buddhist piety and wealth is viewed in favorable terms and when it is viewed in terms of conflict and tension. Thai funerals usually follow buddhist funerary rites, with variations in. I had been thinking about the motivation behind merit making and the righteousness freely offered in christ when i saw on the book rack at 711.
Temporary ordination is a traditional way of making merit in the thai buddhist tradition. The average thai is primarily concerned with having a better rebirth through making merit, and the main way to do that in their minds is to donate things to monks, temples, and various godsspirits. Religion also plays an important role in establishing gender boundaries. Susan darlington, professor of anthropology and asian studies at hampshire college in massachusetts and author of the ordination of a tree. Since it came out with its esoteric teachings on buddhism in 1970, the secretive dhammakaya temple and its adherents have been rumoured to be involved in illegal actions which are at odds with the traditional monkhood. Giving of alms and temple visits can be done any day but most people who are busy at work, choose special days for merit making.
Religion plays a central role in thai society with buddhism intertwined in the daily lives of the people. A thai temple in wimbledon sandra cates pioneering ethnography of art making at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist temple in wimbledon, england. Sandra cates pioneering ethnography of artmaking at wat buddhapadipa, a thai buddhist. Unless youve lived in thailand for long, you probably wont know what the word means. Phraphutthayotfa foundation to have the book published for distribution on the. Over 30,000 temples celebrate the buddhist holiday each year. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. I am far from being an expert on buddhism, but living in thailand it is impossible not to realize the impact it has on everyday life and the value placed on merit making. If we want to gain a good result of merit from almsgiving, we, first of all, should know how to do it correctly. The thai buddhist environmental movement suny press 20. Buddhist nuns challenge gendered orders in thailand 2002. Folk thai buddhism receiving blesssings and making. Devotees sit and offer supplication as monks depart from wat phra dhammakayas 1 million square meter assembly area.
One word you might have heard many thais say during everyday routines, special occasions, cultural events and buddhist rituals, is thambun or meritmaking. The topic to be talked about here is dhana or almsgiving which is a basic process of doing merit in buddhism. Asia thai temple protocolmaking merit this is such a dumb question. About us books search by keyword search by country and. I do visit thai temples to make merit for my mum and dad though we are not buddhist. The brief scribbles in the guest book only hint at the individual life stories of the visitors and their engagements with buddhism and contemporary thai art represented by the murals. Karma and merit in thai buddhism khun reinhard meditation. Thailand is predominantly buddhist over 90% of the population are buddhists. Meritmaking thambun making merit is an integral part of thai life. For a social scientists view of the way in which merit making combines with other forces in defining social roles and hierarchies, see l. Between 1984 and 1992, twentysix young thai artists painted a series of temple murals that continue to attract worshippers and tourists from around the world. What is the proper relationship between religion and prosperity. Making merit is extremely important for thai buddhists, said dr. Here is the scanned copy of the a manual of buddhist studies through the sacred.
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