bankei

Under Australian law someone applying for probate must advertise first - to notify others and give the opporunity for a later will to surface. I am not sure of the laws in Thailand, but maybe something similar. This is why it may be a good idea to contact a lawyer straight up.

Also consider perhaps there is no will. Like dieting everything intends to get around to writing one but most don't.

Under English law relatives may have a claim against the house, but enforicing this in Thailand just won't happen.

Bankei

Yes they could. Judgement could be in home country and then this could be registered in thailand and enforced here - property seized. But whether they would do this is a different question. It would be costly and complex and they woulld only consider it if they suspeced you had property with value in Thailand.

Bankei

Not symbolic in Buddhism. I can't think of any reference to them in any sutta or vinaya.

Happened to me in Foodland Nana soi 5 last week. Paid with 1000B and they gave me chang efor 500B point it out and they just handed over another 500B no apology.

I would llike to get a general health check done on my heart. I am not sure what I need but an EKG? Treadmill hooked with heart rate monitored during exercise sort of thing, stroke early warning signs etc.

Does anyone know of a hospital where this can be performed? The biig one in Nana offers it but also includes all these other tests which I don't need some the charge is up around 9,000B.

Bankei

Firemedic, you did this in a very American like way. Why were you speaking to them in English for a start? And why in a loud and condenscending voice at rapid pace. This is not America and not an English speaking country. most people in the tourist industry only know basic English.

Why SMS for help at the taxi meter as if it were an emergency- you weren't in need of help. All this is just a dispute over prices.

Your constant threats of putting this on youtube were amusing.

If you don't want to pay the prices why not arrange your own transport?

Bankei

One last question. Monks seem to wear different colors of robes. From orange through to brown. Do the colors worn have any significance (other than the saffron/ ochre relationship) in terms of stage of learning etc?

Nope. It appears certain temple monks all wear the robes of the same colour. Generally the more bright orange the more city the monk is. So called forest monks (who generally are not forest monks!) like to wear brownish robes and wouldn't be caught dead in a bright orange outfit - fashion basically.

These ceremonies were not around at the time of the Buddha, but came later, gradually evolving. There are probably little Buddhist aspects to it, but the Buddha was supposed to be a prince originally and was surrounded by vast wealth - which he gave up. So the candidate is carried around the temple on people's shoulders like a prince, umbrellas are held above and there is generally a bit of luxury so that the candidate can renounce this.

Usually just before going into the hall (Bot) the candidate throws coins into the crowd, symbolising the giving up of wealth.

Bankei

and what is he going to do with the cash if he gets it, donate it to charity or buy a new Merc to get to the temple? I find it hard to believe that he is a real monk just appears to be another money hungry corrupt person.

So you are saying

If he donates it to charity then it is okay

But if he buys a new Merc to get to the temple he is not

Okay I agree with you

but what gives TVF member the right to judge him before the fact, wait till we see the truth of his intentions

it is against Sangha Rules to be engaged in politics - either side

he is a disgrace to Buddhism

EDIT: no monks should be engaged in politics and so I condemn those at the red shirt rally just as much (being a fair poster lol)

I agree it is terrible behaviour for a supposed monk, but ts not against the monk rules to engage in politics. Can you cite any vinaya rule as evidence?

This monk has an affinity for cash.

I wonder what Buddha would think of him?

Becareful he might sue you for comments like this!

I like it and think it is totally appropriate no matter where it is.

I know a Thai lady who converted to Christianity--- early one Sunday morning in her village--there was about 2 hrs of "chatter " coming from loudspeakers somewhere -when asked what was all that about--she said -- and I quote---

That's the Temple telling everyone -- who - and how many baht they give to Temple this time---now you know why I want Christian

anyone else heard these " announcements" ?

Yes, and I got a very good explanation from an English speaking monk.....they publicize who gives what so that there is no question how much money was donated and where it was going to be spent, unlike "missing" funds in so many other religions that will go unnamed. No one person is left to handle the funds either. In some villages, the phuyai baan handles it with others signing receipts and treasury reports with him. No one can be accused of mishandling the funds.

And, yes, Buddhism and Christianity can co-exist in a person's life. It is between the practitioner and whichever deity he or she believes in come Judgement Day. It is not up to us to decide who is right or wrong. I find those that protest the most seem to be unsure of their own beliefs when they want to alter someone else's....just my two-cents worth.

That's two cents well spent luangtom --Thanks for detailing more info on my "early morning call "

Mishandling of monastery funds is rife in Thailand as is stealing, corruption and nepositism and abuse of funds and monastery property.

At the temple I was at a brand new 4WD car was purchased for the "Monastery" with the abbot being driven around with an employed driver - who was a family member. One monk stole 200,000B and ran off, unnecssary building works done - to employ friends, monastery property given to family members etc. etc.

I was a Buddhist monk in Thailand once. A few weeks after I had ordained I realised that the other monks had thought I was a Christian (for some unkown reason!). So even though they thought I was of a different religion they allowed me to ordain in their religion.

As for belief, there is no reason a Buddhist can't be a good Christian and there are many that are. Thai Buddhists beliefs are very similar to CHristianity anway. They see the Buddha as some sort of god who grants favous to prayers - ask a Thai what they say or think about when 'praying' in front of a Buddha statue and they will be asking for personal favours such as money etc.

Bankei

Laughed my head off!

This could be a meditation on death type practice - very 'buddhist'.

There is no rule in the monks code that says a monk cannot engage in politicial activity. The so called sangha rules mention in the article are just beuracratic rules imposed by a government. Monks have no obligations to follow them from the religious point of view.

Monks do not live by Pali either - Pali is a language.

The Isarn monk mentioned above in connection with the gold was the late Maha Bua - who some considered a arahant. He was involved in politics and severely turned on Thaksin years ago. Not very arahat like (shit I am going to hell now!)

There are also monks elected to Parliament in Sri Lanka.

However, I agree that it is best for monks to keep out of party politics.

Last week I it was reported he had come back to Thailand because he knew no one would be focusing on him now. THis was a Thai news report, and I later searched in English but couldn't find any reports so don't know if true.

This is common up in the provinces nearish to Cambodia - Burriam is founds for its black magic. A lost of the prostitutes practice it. It is called "sanae" in Thai.

so why was this particular room selected for this?

Perhaps someone died in that room?

I have a closed mind on this - Lobsang Rampa was a cruel joke played on unsuspecting westerns who longed for the mystical east - which doesn't and never existed.

Reminds me of the interesting documentary on the fake guru.

That we may never really know fully what the Buddha taught is your interpretation of how the teaching abide and were/are maintained. I don't hold that view. The Dharma is indestructable and not subject to the circumstances of time and place. The 16 Arhants, who were direct disciples of the Buddha, vowed to stay in the world to assist sentient beings. According to Tibetan sources, the reincarnation histories of each of the 16 Arhants has been recorded including up to the present.

Hi Jawnie.

Then why is Buddhism currently in such a mess in terms of?:

• Significant division amongst Sanghas/Sects.
• Wildly conflicting Interpretation of Dharma .
• Extensive disagreement of the validity of texts.

If there are those who are providing assistance, what have they offered in terms of clarifying interpretation of what the Buddha actually taught and which specific practices to follow?

This has been the case since the time of the Buddha. Just after the Buddha's death there was division of the sangha into different sects. Different interpretations existed while the Buddha was alive - he often had to 'correct' monks. And when the Buddha died and the teachings were rehearsed there was one monk, Purana from memory, who refused to agree with the official line on the teachings. He said words to the effect that he would like to remember the teachings as he heard it not as it was remembered by the council members.

I've been a monk in Thailand. I would suggest you get to know some Thai people and they can assist you with an intro to a temple. Start learning the Pali chanting for the ordination proceedure now as this is not easy.

Also it is very expensive to ordain in Thailand - you may expect it to be free, but far from it. You should budget on 30,000B for a temple outside of bangkok.

BTW, you must be 20 to become a monk. You may have to wait or become a novice.

Bankei

Summary of my position:

I too have thought that 'Thais' don't practice "true" Buddhism. But you must question this belief. Westerners have different conceptions of what Buddhism is. They read English books about Buddhism that emphasis the rational and fail to mention the many superstitious things that are mentioned in the scriptures. Westerners thus have a distorted view of Buddhism.

Some Westerners also think Buddhism is just what is written in certain Pali books and anything outside of this is not true Buddhism. Some of these westerners have the tenacity to tell Buddhists - even ordained members - what is and is not Buddhism (This includes me!).

But isn't Buddhism what Buddhists actually believe and do?

Same as Christianity. A pure teaching got polluted and corrupted. Doesn't mean that Buddha or Jesus's basic teachings about the universe or flawed. I think they are no more obsessed with money in Asia than we are in the west, but the difference is they don't hide it here. Money is the god in Asia. Also the Buddha statues and little spirit houses are a layover from the animistic hindu hoodoo religion that was in SE Asia before Buddha's teachings arrived.

Hell. I could do with some more money myself. Know any good monks?

I dont think its a layover. Lod Buddah, Was born hindu, (all hindu temples) he is imaged as one of the great hindu teachers. But he walked away from Hinduism cos he saw the flaws and injustice against lower cast /racial devide. Aryan this aryan that, ..

That is the reason why he started buddism....To fix all faults that was with hinduism. By the way watch an intresting BBC documentary "Jesus was buddist" on youtube... Many things in Christiantity seams to be comming from buddism,and it can be so that jesus actualy went to India ...and learded buddism and took it to Jerusalem and started his own thing

Hinduism was a western investion - about the 18th century or so.

There is no such thing really. The Buddha wasn't a Hindu. The Buddha, legend has it, followed many different teachers, with different teachings. None of whom could be described as being hindu as you would imagine it. There were probably no hindu temples back then - or temples of any sort.

it is also a mistake to say that the Buddha was a caste reformer. He has a few digs at caste, but early Buddhism was dominated by Brahmin caste and Kshatriya caste as well. Modern Sri Lankan Buddhism is very caste conscious too and is broken up into sects based on caste

Hinduism is said to be among the world's oldest living religions. The Upanishads are believed to be some of the earliest texts and predate Christianity.

Siddharta Gautama who later became known as the Buddha was born into a Hindu family and yes they had temples back then. These are known to be facts and are accepted as such even by non-Buddhists and non-Hindus (such as myself).

If you want to make a case against such well-accepted claims, you need to reference them. Just saying that Hinduism was a Western invention would be to credit the colonialists with far too much immagination. And you are insulting the very rich tradition of Hinduism as well as the many millions of followers of that religion.

I am not saying the Vedas do not predate the Buddha. Upanishads evolved around the time of the Buddha, but certainly there are ancient indian religions predating. But that does not mean the Buddha was born a 'Hindu' as you would imagine a Hindu

Today there is something known as 'hinduism' but this is really an umbrella name for hundreds of different Indian religions. There are many different gods, Shiva followers are different to Vaishnavism.

Hinduism has no founder as therefore there are no 'core' beliefs.

I have no interest in 'hinduism' so don't know anything about this topic, but a quick google shows:

The invention of the Hindu

Hinduism is largely a fiction, formulated in the 18th and 19th centuries out of a multiplicity of sub-continental religions, and enthusiastically endorsed by Indian modernisers. Unlike Muslims, Hindus have tended to borrow more than reject, and it has now been reconfigured as a global rival to the big three monotheisms. In the process, it has abandoned the tradition of toleration which lie in its true origins.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00litlinks/pankajmishra/articles/txt_mishra_hinduism_2004.html

and

The English Invention of Hinduism

Myth of One Hindu Religion

By

Hadwa Dom

And

In his classic article “Constructions of Hinduism at the Nexus of History and Religion,” Robert Frykenberg (1993) notes that this category is recent and has a specific origin: “Hinduism as a single religion, which with the coming Swami Narendrath Datta Vivekananda to the First World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893, was gradually recognized and then elevated by liberally minded and eclectic Western clerics into the rank of a world religion.” Frykenberg, along with many other scholars, contends that “Hinduism was constructed, invented, or imagined by British scholars and colonial administrators in the nineteenth century and did not exist, in any meaningful sense, before this date”

http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/NoDefinitionofHinduism.htm

Lorenzen, David N. (2006). Who invented Hinduism: essays on religion in History. Yoda Press

So to say the Buddha was born a Hindu is a mistake.

Incidently "Buddhism" is also a western invention. There was no word used to describe the teachings of the Buddha to distinguish it from other religions untill recently. "Sasana" was the term used in Pali - "The Teachings"