Birthday Party

[bungalowbill]

I attended a Thai neighbors child's birthday party. A Monk showed up. We all sat around with a white string attached to everyone. The Monk spoke or chanted for about ten minutes.

Can anyone explain what it all means? The string, the Monk's chanting... etc

thanks

[cm-happy]

The string is called a sai sin. It is used in many ceremonies to convey merit to everyone. one end is usually tied to a Buddha statue or an attending monk. all attendees hold the string while chanting occurs so that all attendees receive merit.

[MrSnrang]

What does this have to do with the Buddha's teachings though?

[cm-happy]

MrSnrang--has absolutely nothing to do with Buddha's teaching (dhammha).

As you might know Theravada Buddhism, practice & customs as practiced here in Thailand is a combination of Dhammha(Buddha teaching) Brahminism & Annimism.

[chutai]

MrSnrang--has absolutely nothing to do with Buddha's teaching (dhammha).

As you might know Theravada Buddhism, practice & customs as practiced here in Thailand is a combination of Dhammha(Buddha teaching) Brahminism & Annimism.

The transmission of amulets such as sai sin is actually forbiden by the Sangha in Theravada Buddhism. Some venerated monks (Phra saksit) are believed to possess special spiritual powers (saksit) and amulets blessed by them are used as protection against evil and bad luck. Officially the Sangha forbids the distribution of amulets since this is in defiance of the Buddhist doctrine which states that transmission of saksit on amulets equates to the display of transcendent skills. But of course this is largely overlooked in Thailand.

[sabaijai]

MrSnrang--has absolutely nothing to do with Buddha's teaching (dhammha).

As you might know Theravada Buddhism, practice & customs as practiced here in Thailand is a combination of Dhammha(Buddha teaching) Brahminism & Annimism.

The transmission of amulets such as sai sin is actually forbiden by the Sangha in Theravada Buddhism. Some venerated monks (Phra saksit) are believed to possess special spiritual powers (saksit) and amulets blessed by them are used as protection against evil and bad luck. Officially the Sangha forbids the distribution of amulets since this is in defiance of the Buddhist doctrine which states that transmission of saksit on amulets equates to the display of transcendent skills. But of course this is largely overlooked in Thailand.

Do you have a scriptural citation for this prohibition?

BTW sai sin are not amulets.

[EastSaxCol]

Interesting.

Edited May 14, 2007 by Happy Hammer

[chutai]

MrSnrang--has absolutely nothing to do with Buddha's teaching (dhammha).

As you might know Theravada Buddhism, practice & customs as practiced here in Thailand is a combination of Dhammha(Buddha teaching) Brahminism & Annimism.

The transmission of amulets such as sai sin is actually forbiden by the Sangha in Theravada Buddhism. Some venerated monks (Phra saksit) are believed to possess special spiritual powers (saksit) and amulets blessed by them are used as protection against evil and bad luck. Officially the Sangha forbids the distribution of amulets since this is in defiance of the Buddhist doctrine which states that transmission of saksit on amulets equates to the display of transcendent skills. But of course this is largely overlooked in Thailand.

Do you have a scriptural citation for this prohibition?

BTW sai sin are not amulets.

1. It is in contravention of the Brahmajala Sutta

http://www.buddhistinformation.com/ida_b_w...ajala_sutta.htm

2. You're quite correct. I should have written amulets, sai sin and the suchlike.

[sabaijai]

MrSnrang--has absolutely nothing to do with Buddha's teaching (dhammha).

As you might know Theravada Buddhism, practice & customs as practiced here in Thailand is a combination of Dhammha(Buddha teaching) Brahminism & Annimism.

The transmission of amulets such as sai sin is actually forbiden by the Sangha in Theravada Buddhism. Some venerated monks (Phra saksit) are believed to possess special spiritual powers (saksit) and amulets blessed by them are used as protection against evil and bad luck. Officially the Sangha forbids the distribution of amulets since this is in defiance of the Buddhist doctrine which states that transmission of saksit on amulets equates to the display of transcendent skills. But of course this is largely overlooked in Thailand.

Do you have a scriptural citation for this prohibition?

BTW sai sin are not amulets.

1. It is in contravention of the Brahmajala Sutta

http://www.buddhistinformation.com/ida_b_w...ajala_sutta.htm

Contravention of a sutta? I've not heard of such a notion. Also there is no mention of amulets in the Brahmajala Sutta, which is primarily concerned with philosophical views. Perhaps you could quote the verse you have interepreted as applying to amulets, sai sin and so on.

[chutai]

I'm taking as my authority Phra Dhammanando (Wat Benchamabophitr) where he answers questions thus:

Q. "What is wrong livehood? It is living off by means of fortune telling, charms, magic and so on occult."

Q." I agree that it is wrong livehood, BUT I DON'T AGREE THAT ALL THE MONKS WHO DOES THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE WRONG OR SHAMELESS. Some are wrong but not all. It the reasons why they do those kind of things that make them right or wrong. Agree?"

A." No. Why they do it is irrelevant. Bhikkhus who do such things are contravening the Mahasila teachings of the Brahmajala Sutta."

.....................................End

However, I did browse through the Brahmajala Sutta myself and found a paragraph that could be deemed to confirm Phra Dhammanando's assertion. I can trawl it out if you wish.

But I think that we must agree that such practices are very far removed from the Dhamma/Dharma.

Edited as my keyboard only supports a Romanised font .

Edited May 15, 2007 by chutai

[sabaijai]

I'm taking as my authority Phra Dhammanando (Wat Benchamabophitr) where he answers questions thus:

Q. "What is wrong livehood? It is living off by means of fortune telling, charms, magic and so on occult."

Q." I agree that it is wrong livehood, BUT I DON'T AGREE THAT ALL THE MONKS WHO DOES THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE WRONG OR SHAMELESS. Some are wrong but not all. It the reasons why they do those kind of things that make them right or wrong. Agree?"

A." No. Why they do it is irrelevant. Bhikkhus who do such things are contravening the Mahasila teachings of the Brahmajala Sutta."

.....................................End

However, I did browse through the Brahmajala Sutta myself and found a paragraph that could be deemed to confirm Phra Dhammanando's assertion. I can trawl it out if you wish.

But I think that we must agree that such practices are very far removed from the Dhamma/Dharma.

Edited as my keyboard only supports a Romanised font .

If you were to trawl, it might better make your point.

I agree with the Q above, i.e., intention is the key. An amulet is just a religious symbol, until you claim it's something else and not all monks are making such claims. Nowhere in the Suttanta, Vinaya or Abhidhamma have I come across text forbidding religious symbols.

Of course there are proscriptions in the Vinaya about monks performing magic or telling fortunes.