cm das

I like the Duke's food generally, but was disappointed when I tried deserts a couple times. Yes the portions were huge but the both carrot cake & chocolate cake I had were dry & kind of tasteless. That was a few years ago though. Based on these reports I might give them another try.

I'm not saying that the Vulcan is overpriced, just that it's about 100k out of my range.

The orange color works for me. The black pipes don't. Still, if these were about 100k cheaper I'd probably go for one.

Fortunately none of them know the shortcuts, or which intersections to avoid. I would assume that we, as locals, do know this so we won't get stuck at intersections like Rincome, Huay Kaew/ Canal Road or around the Night Bazar, and Sunday walking street. or Saturday Wualai market. And so on.

The trouble is that congestion on the major roads is driving more locals to use alternative routes & back sois so even they are getting more crowded (at least in my neighborhood). Just have to allow more time to get around these days.

FBT carries the 1 meter sq. mats. They're not cheap though. You could also check at any Taekwondo place & ask where they get them.

Has anyone heard of plans to expand the dealer network. I wouldn't consider buying a monster until they open a dealership in Rayong/Pattaya.

And I'd love to get a monster if/when there's a dealer in Chiang Mai.

I asked last week at the Kawasaki shop in Chiang Mai & was told that the new er6n will arrive in late November. The Ninja wasn't mentioned, but the sales guy did encourage me to go ahead and order a 2012 Versys now!

Another idea if you want to give a gift specifically for the mother rather than the baby: the new Thai mothers I know are all very concerned with getting their abdominal skin back into shape. One thing my wife & all her acquaintances did was, 1 month after giving birth, go for a herbal compress treatment geared towards this goal. I don't know if it actually works but they all seem to enjoy it & a gift certificate for some kind of spa/health treatment like this might be a welcome alternative to more nappies, baby towels, etc. That said, nappies are always appreciated!

By the way, there are many who argue convincingly that philology is not the best route to discovering what early Buddhists actually thought and how they practiced (as opposed to the ideals presented in the texts). Gregory Schopen is one of the leading scholars who advocate an archaeological & epigraphical approach to the study of early Buddhism. In this case the materials available are some centuries later than the time of the historical Buddha, but then again many of the texts also probably didn't take their current shape until later as well. Schopen's book Bones, Stones & Buddhist Monks is a "classic" in this field and it's also on my shelf in Chiang Mai.

It's my pleasure to contribute to a discussion like this and I will definitely check out John Peacock's lectures.

Healthy skepticism is indeed appropriate, both in the context of a tradition itself as well as scholarship regarding that tradition. That said, where early Buddhism is concerned I can recommend 2 books that take a scholarly approach to early Buddhism, with a particular emphasis on philology (i.e. linguistic analysis of early texts). They are:

A Philological Approach to Buddhism by K.R. Norman

How Buddhism Began by Richard F. Gombrich

The authors are incredibly well-informed, they present loads of fascinating material, and they don't have any particular doctrinal axe to grind. On the other hand, the books aren't what you'd call light reading. They are available online, though at steep prices. If anyone in Chiang Mai is interested in having a look you can contact me & I might be persuaded to loan them out (or at least copies of them).

2 other points: She may have to get it unlocked first. This is easily done at a number of the shops on the 3rd floor of Kad Suan Kaew. Also, if using the prepaid option make sure she turns off automatic data services like updates, pushing, etc. Otherwise her minutes will disappear very quickly.

Rocky,

I sympathize with your impulse to get at the original meanings of key words and thereby to get closer to what the Buddha (or Tathagata if you prefer) taught. I began my study of Sanskrit and Pali for the same reasons. In the 80's when I was just getting interested in Indian religious traditions, I found it odd that many of the translations of old texts that I was reading sounded like 17th century English. I guess the King James Bible's literary style was taken as the norm for scripture and applied across the board, appropriate or not. In any case, I wasn't satisfied & wanted to see for myself just what those old Indian guys were saying.

My own experience with formal study of Sanskrit and Pali is not very extensive – a few years of graduate study in the US. I was on track to do a PhD in Buddhist studies, focusing on early Indian Buddhism. I even had the good fortune to work for a time on the Early Buddhist Manuscripts Project, helping with the editing and translation of some of the world's oldest know Buddhist manuscripts. Eventually it was the language study that did me in though. In order to really get a handle on early Buddhism, you have to be conversant not only in Pali and Sanskrit (as well as other Prakrits like Gandhari), but also Tibetan and Classical Chinese. Throw in French and German in order to better appreciate modern scholarship. At least for me to get my PhD I would have had to study & pass exams in all those languages.

But let me get to the specific points you raise. Like I said, I understand where you're coming from, but I think the path you're on is a very difficult and complicated one. Here are a few examples that show the problems.

First of all, just because you know the root meaning of a word, Bhikkhu for example, doesn't mean that it had that sense at the time it was used in a Buddhist context. For a parallel example, think of the word 'spirit'. At root it comes from a word meaning 'breath', (think respiration) but already by new testament times it meant something more particular (the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak). So Bhikku may mean "beggar" in a strict sense, but it did have a religious connotation from an early time as attested in other, non-Buddhist usage. (The bit about "sharing" seems less well attested.) To translate "bhikkhu" as "monk" seems fair to me, since in the Buddha's day his followers were not simply homeless dudes asking for food but were part of an organized community in pursuit of awakening. You could use another term like "ascetic", but that fails to convey the community aspect of the bhikkhus' existence.

I don't know of John Peacock, and I'm not sure if all the points you make come from his work, but I have to say some of the statements you/he have made strike me as strange or simply untrue.

Siddhārtha never referred to himself as the Buddha.

Sutta Nipata 558 and other verses contradict this claim. (Sutta Nipata is thought to be among the earliest strata of texts in the Pali canon.)

The word Buddha was never used in the Pali texts and has been added centuries later in a mythological way.

I don't know how anyone can back up a claim like this. The word is in fact found many, many times in the canon. I've given one reference above. Maybe the claim here is that using "Buddha" as a title rather than a simple description is what was added later, but I think that's exceedingly difficult to demonstrate.

He referred to himself as Tathagata, "one who has found the truth".

This is a good example of why you need to be very careful. Tathagata looks like a very simple compound word that would literally mean "thus-come" or "having come in that way". Exactly what that denotes is not completely clear (there are many theories, old and new) but the meaning you give is neither straightforward nor obvious given the form of the word itself. Similar criticisms could be made about the meanings you give for anukampa and karuna.

I could address other points you've made but I've gone on long enough for now, I think. This is a good discussion to have and I thank you for starting it. But in order to really work towards the historically "original" meanings or teachings of the Tathagata, you need your own familiarity with the relevant languages. After all, the man himself warned us against taking things on the authority of others, right? And even with deep knowledge of Pali, I think you have to accept that we can never get back to the true, original teachings. There are layers of codification & interpretation that we simply cannot penetrate. Some confront this truth and give up. And that's ok. Despite all the bs that goes on under the guise of Buddhism I still think there are authentic teachers around who are onto something real and know well how to share it. But you don't have to give up on the historical angle. Even if we can't get back to the original source, what we can do is dig through the texts honestly, with awareness and without attachment, and hopefully find things that resonate with us and strengthen our own practice. And maybe help others with their own journey along the way.

I'm a UW grad myself & the OP made me cringe. But let me set the writing skills issue aside & suggest there are much nicer places to run in Chiang Mai than around the moat. 700 year stadium, the municipal stadium, Huay Tung Tao, CMU, and the arboretum between CMU & the zoo are just a few examples. My favorite is the CMU Ag-Industry campus south along the canal road - miles of paved & dirt roads through fields & forest with great views and no cars.

And here's a brief slideshow I just put together of scenes from Wat Tam Wua.

I finally got around to looking for Wat Tam Wua on wikimapia & found that someone else had marked it already.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=19.5286492&lon=98.0816031&z=15&l=0&m=b

We used to use Baby Natura - it's dehydrated organic brown rice porridge. Not the in a jar stuff but easily mixed with warm water. Rimping carries it.

I just came back from a 3 day mini-retreat at Wat Tam Wua in Mae Hong Son. (It was a 4.5 hour motorbike ride from Chiang Mai which I guess stretches the definition of "around Chiang Mai".) The Wat itself I give an A+: The setting amdist forested cliffs is fantastically beautiful, the grounds & kutis are as clean as you could hope for, the sound of running water fills the air & the food is all vegetarian & delicious. The meditation & dhamma instruction were of the most basic kind. For me this wasn't an issue, some others there who were newcomers to Buddhism & vipassana felt the teaching was a bit lacking. I'm sure if you asked you could get soemthing deeper. The abbot, Luang Ta, speaks decent English & is super friendly. They have a good library of English language resources covering many strains of Buddhism, not just Theravada. I should also say that the schedule is pretty undemanding compared to other retreats I've been on - organized group practice accounted for 5-6 hours per day including chanting, walking & sitting meditation. At other times you're free to practice on your own... or check facebook! Never did anyone check with me about how my practice was going or ask if I had any questions. Again, I didn't mind but I felt that the abbot & a few other monks were more than willing to discuss with me if I wanted/needed. I should also mention that you can stay for as long or short a time as you like, and there's no need to contact them in advance.

So, Wat Tam Wua is a place I'd highly recommend either for people who are looking for a great place to practice (as opposed to learn) meditation, or for those who want a relatively simple & comfortable introduction to staying at a temple. If you want a directed, highly structured, intensive retreat then it's probably not the best choice.

Sounds like Lai Thai. I stayed there for a month when I first came here. Nice place, nice staff, cheap rooms.

And haunted, according to many Thais I know.

If you are really getting a Kindle, make sure you consider the 3G option again:

whether or not you'd like to purchase book pretty much anywhere without Wi-Fi

whether or not you'd need emergency (crappy) internet connections anywhere to check your mails.

By anywhere it's anywhere where there's cellular reception.

My dad regretted his decision to go a bit stingy and now always steals mine

The kindle doesn't rely on regular commercial wifi networks. Amazon has its own service with widespread coverage, at least throughout Thailand. I've been able to buy books on the kindle at many locations around Chiang Mai as well as while sitting on the beach in Pranburi - places where no other wireless network was available. I don't know about email - my Kindle 2 has no browser & I never intended to use it for that.

Through yoga & chi kung practice I've found that following deep breaths down into my center and carefully watching the transitions between in & out breaths is a very effective way to bring about a state of stillness in the mind. It also is generally refreshing. I'll admit I find pleasure in this kind of meditation and sometimes indulge just for that. But as what I consider more strictly Buddhist practice I am more interested in realizing and understanding the conditioned nature of experience, in which case stillness in & of itself is not necessarily helpful. So my main practice is dynamic vipassana of the Luang Por Teean type, which I personally find more effective for developing subtle awareness of the mind's workings. Of course, I believe that anapanasati meditation can certainly serve the same function if approached properly.

I assume your definition of animism is nearly identical to your definition of Buddhism. What about all the good luck charms, the curses, the cures, the fortune telling, or sacrifices. Where does this fit in your definition.

Fair enough raising the question of definition, but if my definitions were nearly identical then harmonizing the two wouldn't be anything to write about, would it?. So for the sake of argument let's say I define animism as the belief in and reverence of spirits in the natural world, and Buddhism as a path towards the end of suffering which involves "waking up" to the true, conditioned, impermanent nature of existence/experience. Hardly the same. Animistic practices and beliefs may involve charms, curses, etc. as you mention but don't necessarily do so, as I discuss in the full article.

Well then I have to agree with you that the two are compatible; in the sense that in both systems, practice is mainly self directed/compiled, and there is no doctrinal definition of either. One man's animism may be another man's Buddhism but it is also true that the two can be poles apart.

Who said anything about "self directed"? I think maybe you're assuming again.

http://tripleharmony...dental-animist/

What's a dental animist? Someone who worships the spirits inside teeth?

I guess that makes a transcendental animist a transexual who worships the spirits inside teeth.

Seriously though the online dictionary defines Animism as "The belief that natural objects such as rivers and rocks possess a soul or spirit. Anima is the Latin word for “soul” or “spirit.”"

As Buddhism questions the assumption that humans have a soul or spirit it would hardly seem compatible with a belief system based on the assumption that natural objects have a soul or spirit.

Dude, where does sex come into it? A transcendental animist is clearly a spirit worshipper who has gone beyond the need to chew.

Sure, "soul" sounds incompatible with the Buddhist idea of anatta (no meditating to James Brown, then). But anima can also be considered as the enlivening or anima-ting principle and spirit at root means breath, as in respiration, not something more like "ghost". This is more the sense that I'm getting at.

Anyway, thanks for the replies so far.

For Thais who practice animism, Brahmanism and Buddhism as an integrated system, there's no contradiction, rather layers of meaning and purpose. Each has its place within traditional Thai beliefs. Someone whose mindset is in the system wouldn't dream of practising one without the other two.

Certainly I agree that for many Thais there is no problem with holding animist and Buddhist views concurrently. It is more the western critique of "corrupted" Buddhism that I was addressing. Still though, just because a person holds two sets of views doesn't mean that they are logically consistent or compatible. And then there are Thai Buddhist reformers, Buddhadasa being one of the best known, who themselves criticize the very integration you describe (at least in terms of its effect on Buddhist thought and practice). What interests me is trying to view elements of animism as being on the very same layer of meaning and purpose as Buddhism, in a way that is consistent with Buddhist teachings on suffering, dependent origination, impermanence, etc.

I assume your definition of animism is nearly identical to your definition of Buddhism. What about all the good luck charms, the curses, the cures, the fortune telling, or sacrifices. Where does this fit in your definition.

Fair enough raising the question of definition, but if my definitions were nearly identical then harmonizing the two wouldn't be anything to write about, would it?. So for the sake of argument let's say I define animism as the belief in and reverence of spirits in the natural world, and Buddhism as a path towards the end of suffering which involves "waking up" to the true, conditioned, impermanent nature of existence/experience. Hardly the same. Animistic practices and beliefs may involve charms, curses, etc. as you mention but don't necessarily do so, as I discuss in the full article.

We're all familiar with critiques of animistic elements in Thai religion as "un-Buddhist". Lately though I've been pondering how Buddhism and animism can not just co-exist (e.g. one is spiritual, the other magically mundane) but how they might actually harmonize with each other. My thinking on this was spurred by a close encounter with a venomous snake on my land in Chiang Dao. I recently wrote a blog post that's an exploration/defense of this idea of Buddhist animism. Below are some key excerpts. The whole article can be found at http://tripleharmony.com/2011/05/25/the-accidental-animist/

I'd love to hear any comments, questions or critiques.

"Animism generally gets a bad rap among those who hold to “higher” religious beliefs. It’s seen as a primitive, simple form of religion, where immaterial beings like supernatural personalities inhabit the world and exercise their powers according to whimsy, or in response to the deeds, good or bad, of people that come onto their turf.

It’s this kind of mundane & superstitious quid pro quo that draws criticism. People look at Thai religion, with all its amulets, tattoos, exorcisms and blessings, and say “That’s not Buddhism.” And to that extent, it’s not. But could something deeper and more subtle also be going on, cloaked in animist plumage? Is it possible to consider nature’s “spirits” as something other than fickle fairies, at turns either friendly or frightful? I think so.

My experience with the blue krait, along with a couple of similar encounters, has led me deeper into the notion of honoring the spirits. I considered: what is the root meaning of ‘spirit’ but ‘breath’, and what is breath but that which animates? And animation occurs by the constant exchange of elements between our bodies and the environments around us. So then, we can think of the spirit of a place as its breath, as its dynamic expression of life, all life that flourishes there. In this sense, the snake was indeed an emissary of the local spirit, and seeing it that way carries neither dumb superstition nor the cold objectivity of scientific materialism but rather a deep, meaningful sense of connection and appreciation. And the blue krait was more than that – it was a reminder that even small parts of the environment can hold great power over us, even the power of life and death. So by honoring the snake, or even the spirit of the land in the abstract, we can step outside ourselves and acknowledge the greater interconnectedness of which we are but one part. We can humble ourselves, not like a fearful servant before a capricious master, but with an attitude of compassion, gratitude and wonder in the face of the world’s creative, dynamic, organic and holistic evolution. These realizations – of interdependence, of the limits of a fixed notion of “self”, of humility, of the dynamic nature of existence – all fit with the Buddhist teachings quite well. So animism need not be a branch of alien superstition grafted onto a Buddhist trunk. With the right attitude, active respect for the spirit of life around you can be a means towards cultivating the qualities that are at the very heart of Buddhist practice.

There’s an old Buddhist line that says “Intention is karma.” Honestly, I think in many cases that is too simplistic but here it’s instructive. Two people approach a spirit house with offerings of candles, incense, flowers and food. One prays fervently for success in love and business. Another expresses his awareness of and kinship with all life in that place, whether subtle or gross. He sees this offering as another chance to cultivate the heavenly qualities of compassion, loving-kindness, sympathetic joy and equanimity. The karma of the first surely keeps him tied to the world and its tormenting cycles of desire & suffering. The karma of the second points embodies that supposed contradiction – Buddhist animism – and points towards coolness, peace and awakening. It’s in this sense that I guess I can call myself a newfound animist, an accidental animist, and I’m sure I’m not alone in taking this approach. So next time you see someone making offerings to the spirits, think twice before you leap to accusations of superstition. There may be something else going on."