With A Little Help

[giorgio]

Hello everybody.

I've recently come back from Thailand in my country (italy) and I need some help.

I've got a little 65 pages book of prayers and extracts of dhammapada (I suppose) in a Wat in Kampaenhg Phet.

I'm looking for somebody who can translate me the text in english (or italian). I can donate a reasonable price in money with paypal in change.

Also I would be interested to understand better, the common religious practices of lay people of Thailand.

Any help is much appreciated.

giorgio

[Brucenkhamen]

Hello everybody.

I've recently come back from Thailand in my country (italy) and I need some help.

I've got a little 65 pages book of prayers and extracts of dhammapada (I suppose) in a Wat in Kampaenhg Phet.

I'm looking for somebody who can translate me the text in english (or italian). I can donate a reasonable price in money with paypal in change.

Also I would be interested to understand better, the common religious practices of lay people of Thailand.

You'll probably find most if not all of those texts are already transalated into English, possibly Italian too, identifying what they are might be hard though if you don't know.

I suggest you contact this monastery http://santacittarama.altervista.org/e_index.htm, it's about 50km from Rome, they should be able to advise you.

[ZZZ]

Also I would be interested to understand better, the common religious practices of lay people of Thailand.

As far as I have seen the most common religious practices seems to be giving money for merit and buy lucky amulets.

I have not met many Thais who go much further than this in their practice of their religion. Superstition, sometimes incorrectly believed to be Buddhism, seems to be the main factor in running many peoples lives.

[giorgio]

thanks both of you for the answers...

@ Brucenkhamen

Yes thanks! I'll do it for sure.

By the way the book I'm talking about is this one.

I received it as a gift in a temple by a kind man.

@zzz

yes I know about so called "popular Buddhism", as a part of the "five layers" of Buddhism in Thai society.

But I know also that more religious people chant prayers (suttas?) in the morning and before going to bed

(one told me that some people use mala beads, but I guess is an uncommon practice in Thailand).

I'm interested in such topics.

any help is very appreciated

regards

[giorgio]

If anybody wants to take a look to the pics I've taken :

Thailand 2550

Edited April 2, 2007 by giorgio

[phloiwang]

hi Giorgio

The monk's photo is one of well known and respected Thai monks but he is dead along time ago. Only the red and the three line, larger letters at the bottom are Thai alphabets, the others around the image are cambodian's. There are often Cambodian alphabets in Thai Buddhism. I don't know why but just guest that perhaps Cambodian was a powerful in the past. So it becomes a traditional/conventional practice in Thai Bhuddism to include its alphabets.

As ZZZ suggests, not many Thai people is currently mindful with their religion. IMO, Perhaps it is because only a few decades when boys and girls attend school to study modern knowledge and the whole world becomes materialistic, and they seem to forget their rooted, spiritual culture and stay very far from wat. As far as I know, Thais in the past were very strict with Buddha's doctrines. And now perhaps Thai Bhuddists are similar to Farang's Christians, in respect of their more interest in technology and materialistic world than Lord Bhudda and God.

I'm now 50. I observe new Thai generation, boys and girls, are not the same as mine. They seem to pay less respect to the elderly. Evil deeds and sin are rising and widespread nationwide. People look less happy and friendly.

I just want ZZZ to realise the truth that not only Thais have been changing their ways of life but the whole world have. However, I always appreciate Lord Bhudda's doctrines and hope westerners or farangs to find out this precious property of mankind because farangs are so curious and sincere to find out any truth in this world.

I'm happy to help you Giorgio with all knowledge I have.