bankei

Don't forget that a passport is not just used for travel. If it is sold on the blackmarket it may be able to be used to open bank accounts, and various other thing for which an ID is needed. Maybe even travel between less computerised countries. They may have to change the photo - or just sell it to someone who resembles the real owner.

There is no such thing as a Buddhist country. Just Buddhist individuals. Thailand may have a majority of the people declaring themselves Buddhist - but not everyone follows the teachings. I think one of the major precepts - the first one - is not to kill. So those who kill - executioners are not following the teachings. Law drafters are probably also not following the teachings - although they could argue they don't kill, but just made the rules - people break them of their own will. Judges who sentance people to death may also not be following the teachings.

Also one a practical level, think of how many innocent people are sent to their death - especially in countries like Thailand without the strong legal systems. Once you kill someone you cannot bring them back.

This is often a topic of conversation with westerners - if Thailand is a Buddhist country why do they have the death penalty?

I think in many 'western' countries it is Tibetan Buddhism that is the most popular. If you look at a list of Buddhist organisations in Australia for example, you will probably find more Tibetan than anything else. It seems most of the practitioners are western too - with there being few Tibetan immigrants. Tibetan Buddhism is also getting popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and even in Thailand. And look at all the so called Buddhist hollywood actors - most of them claim to be Tibetan Buddhists - Segal, Gere etc. I haven't heard of any star with an interest in Theravada. Any bookshop selling Buddhist books in the west would have more Tibetan type books than others.

Zen also seems popular - lots of Books too. Chinese Mahayana seems to only appeal to ethnic Chinese - mostly.

I think in the city i live in, Sydney, there are probably more Theravadin temples than any other. These are mostly used by ethnic groups for cultural purposes. There are a few Western Theravadin monks, but they don't seem too keen on the 'tham bun' aspects of the popular religion.

The Tibetan groups don't really have temples, they have 'centers' - run courses etc.

This is often a topic of conversation with westerners - if Thailand is a Buddhist country why do they have the death penalty?

You have to be practical - call in the pest control.

It is well known that the commentaries were written after the Buddha's death. They are commentaries after all. It is also clear that some of the works in the Tipitaka also date from after the Buddha's death. The Kattavathu, eg, in the Abhimdhamma claims to be from the third council. parts of the Mahaparinibbana Sutta also date from after the Buddha's death because they mention the funeral. The first council is recorded in the Vinaya etc

Many also regard the Abhidhamma as being a later addition. In the Vinaya account of the first council the Abhidhamma is not mentioned as being recited at the first council.

it is also well documented that the commentaries do contain errors and/or misinterpretations. If interested see the works of Prof K.R. Norman. There have been some cases where the original meaning of a word had been forgotten or distorted and this has affected subsequent interpretation by the tradition.

Thanks for the pics. Very interesting

i just keep one precept = refrain from evil!

I was looking at something similar and was priced at around 100,000B per room.

I've always liked Dhammika's writings and he has made some good points, but a few generalisations too.

There may be some Burmese monks that refuse to bow to more senior western monks, but surely not all Burmese monks are like this. Similar for the Thai monks. I have seen Thai's paying their respects to a western monk many times.

Thai monks of one nikaya can also, and do, stay at Wats of the other nikaya - although they probably would not stay there for long periods - it is still possible and I have even travelled with monks of the Dhammayut nikaya and stayed in Mahanikaya Wats - strict vinaya observings Wat too.

Bankei

Thanks for all the replies. Think I get the picture now.

Funny, I searched thailanguage.com a few times and didn't come up with anything. Searched again now and it came up.

Hi

One of my friends has been described as being งี้เง่า ngée-ngâo.

I have searched various dictionaries and have failed to find a meaning. Can anyone help me out?

I think it means something like 'persistant' or maybe or maybe 'trivial' as in worrying about minor details.

Bankei

Wonder what happened to Phra Kittiwutto?

I've seen them several times between 2am and 4am, wandering for alms on sukhumvit just when the bars tend to empty......

These are not real monks but fake 'monks' dressed in Chinese style robes. You can see some pictures of the on Stickman's site, down in the middle of the page:

http://www.stickmanweekly.com/StickMarkII/...pDoesntWork.htm

I have heard about the white sheet ceremony before, but never seen one. The one I heard about involved a Thai girl obtaining a new name from the monk. This is supposed to be some sort of good luck thing - change your name and personality at the same time and get rid of the negative past sort of thing.

As for money, monks aren't supposed to handle gold or silver which would mean money, but probably 99% of the monks in Thailand do handle it. Some try to follow the spirit of the rule and touch it, or handle it, but not be attached to it and hoard it etc. Others crave it and try to get as much as possible!

Hi

I have been a Buddhist for 25 years and been coming to Thailand since 1990. I have even been ordained as a full monk. But I must say that I have never met a Thai monk that I was impressed with - except maybe a few in Sydney!

The monk that has most impressed me most is an English man living in Bangkok, Phra Dhammanando.

I am sure there are others out there, but the bad monks are surely in the majority.

Hi

I have been using my Aussie laptop in Thailand without a transformer or converter. Just plug it in. The voltage in Australia is 240V and Thai is 220V.

is this safe to do, or will it be harmful to the computer?

Thanks

Bankei

Is it easy to be buddhist in a world where you are constantly bombarded with the philosophy that money & success is the main priority in life (even if its not openly admitted or unconsciously believed)?

If your basic core values (which i believe are formed at a young age & then you are stuck with them) are of a buddhist nature & you choose to try & seriously commit to the buddhist philosophy as a way of life,does it mean that you should really try & avoid socialising with most people,& lead an almost solitary life?

We all generally make some compromises when socialising with people for different reasons,or have to listen with the danger of being influenced away from our values by freinds.

Can we really be totally true to ourselves in the company of others?

ps.I'm by no means buddhist but interested in philosophy in general.

What makes you think Buddhists shouldn't have money or be successful?

Bankei

a studio apartment could cost you around 5,000B per month. A meal is about 30B, coke 12B, internet about 500B.

I think you could live on us$500 without too much problem.

I can't understand why someone calling themselves a Buddhist would be involved in spirit worship.

The rule regarding handling of money is only a minor rule. Minor rules are broken all the time - eg standing while drinking, standing while urinating, digging the earth, etc.

This rule actually refers to gold, not money, so many believe they are not breaking the rule by touching money. But i guess this is not keeping the spirit of the rule which is renouncing wealth, and all the problems that go with it.

Some monks think of themselves as being strict by not physically touching money, but still accept it in envelopes etc. Temple boys them keep it for them or put it into their bank accounts. This is keeping the rule too, but not keeping the spirit of the rule.

In Thailand there is only a very small minority of monks that do not handle or have money.

The rule about handling money is certainly not a minor rule, it is one of the Nissaggiya Pacittiya and requires confession and forfeiture, as opposed to standing while drinking, standing while urinating etc which are Sekhiyatiavatta and are just "trainings".

See http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors...o/layguide.html for more information.

I haven't heard of anyone genuinely believing that as money (or credit cards etc) is not gold so doesn't count.

I have seen monks accepting envelopes with money in it and was disappointed as this is clearly against the rules, see the above reference. However it is perfectly acceptable for temple boys to handle it on their behalf to use to purchase their requisites (ie not to play the stockmarket for example).

I don't believe that only a small minority of monks in Thailand observe this rule, it's one of the easier ones to keep in Thailand, and breaking it is very "public" and people see them doing it.

I've found most observe it, but then I've mostly been in contact with Forest monks.

Hi Bruce

The only monks that I have seen that observe the rule were the forest monks of Acharn Cha's lineage.

In Bangkok I constantly see monks at the ATM getting out some of their hard earned cash and even seen a few in MBK buying expensive mobile phones etc. Once I even bumped into one in the supermarket Careful. He was buying some cleaning products.

I have been a Buddhist for about 30 years and still regard myself as one. I was also a monk in Thailand. But I would have to agree with the comments on organised religion above. I now rarely go into a temple in Thailand even though I have a house just opposite one.

In my local temple I believe the money that is collected in the boxes and the donations to the 'wat' are just put in the bank. This money then pays for temple related expenses such as running costs, staff wages (ladies that help at breakfast etc), new building works (which costs a fortune), chaffer for the abbot and his brand new car, petrol etc. Some money may also be sent to the headquarters in Bangkok. Maybe even the mobile phone bills of the management monks too.

Other money that is donated to individual monks is kept by those monks and spent as they please.

Bankei

The rule regarding handling of money is only a minor rule. Minor rules are broken all the time - eg standing while drinking, standing while urinating, digging the earth, etc.

This rule actually refers to gold, not money, so many believe they are not breaking the rule by touching money. But i guess this is not keeping the spirit of the rule which is renouncing wealth, and all the problems that go with it.

Some monks think of themselves as being strict by not physically touching money, but still accept it in envelopes etc. Temple boys them keep it for them or put it into their bank accounts. This is keeping the rule too, but not keeping the spirit of the rule.

In Thailand there is only a very small minority of monks that do not handle or have money.

There have been cases, recently, in both Burma and Thailand where 'heretical' monks have been arrested and disrobed. In Thailand the monk called Phra Bodhirak was forceably stripped of his robes and made to wear while when he was arrested around 1990. He is the leader of a group called Santi Asoke. He still claims to be a monk - never having uttered the words of giving up the monkhood, but he no longer wears the same robes as a monk or he will be arrested. His teachings apparently contained a few heretical elements, but he was probably persecuted more for his political associations.

Another heretical sect, Dhammakaya is still going strong even though their leader was arrested also a few years ago over land transactions.

In Burma I remember reading something many years ago by Heinz Bechert about a heretical sect which was banned and outlawed. Cannot remember any details.