How is an asupicious time/date calculated?

[The Deerhunter]

On 2/22/2021 at 3:20 PM, bluesofa said:

As a non-believer, I'd still like to know if there's some logic as to how these are arrived at?

I've been involved (from the sidelines) in various house building projects.

 

My sister-in-law is building a house, and obviously she's been 'told' by the monks when they can erect a couple of reinforcing bars for the concrete pillars.

It was  today (22nd February) at 08:19. Why?

What does it have to do with any religion, not just buddhism?

Easter is calculated on moon phases.  It is referred to as a moveable feast, unlike Christmas which is a date feast/celebration but Eastern Orthodox christians have different dates for Xmas and New Year.

[khaowong1]

Not sure I mentioned this yet.  I called my monk friend in Lopburi province, and this is what he told me.  Astrology.  These abbots and senior all knowing monks are using astrology for their "auspicious" predictions.  That's it.  He said has nothing to do with Buddhism.  I asked him why they would be using astrology when it has nothing to do with the Buddha's teachings, he said, because that's what the people want.  And when a Buddhist monk gives them a "auspicious" date for whatever, wedding, burial, building a house, buying a car, the people are very happy and take the given information as "Gospel".  I told him that I find that a little misleading, he said, maybe so, but it's what the "people" want.  And it's been going on for hundreds of years.  I was a ordained monk at this temple where my friend is, and they know that I question everything.  So they just laugh me off.  Then he asked if I would be willing to donate some money to build another Buddha statue at the temple,  so I laughed him off.  Turn about's fair play.  

[bluesofa]

57 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

Not sure I mentioned this yet.  I called my monk friend in Lopburi province, and this is what he told me.  Astrology.  These abbots and senior all knowing monks are using astrology for their "auspicious" predictions.  That's it.  He said has nothing to do with Buddhism.  I asked him why they would be using astrology when it has nothing to do with the Buddha's teachings, he said, because that's what the people want.  And when a Buddhist monk gives them a "auspicious" date for whatever, wedding, burial, building a house, buying a car, the people are very happy and take the given information as "Gospel".  I told him that I find that a little misleading, he said, maybe so, but it's what the "people" want.  And it's been going on for hundreds of years.  I was a ordained monk at this temple where my friend is, and they know that I question everything.  So they just laugh me off.  Then he asked if I would be willing to donate some money to build another Buddha statue at the temple,  so I laughed him off.  Turn about's fair play.  

Thanks for the details. That seems to confirm the direction the thread has been going.

 

'he said, because that's what the people want.'   Something along  similar lines:

Back in the UK decades ago a ferang abbot at a Thai temple told me about Thais asking him when his birthday was.

He knew the only reason they asked him was to use it to buy lottery tickets, as a ‘lucky number’.
He said he originally used to reprimand them about it, but after a few years gave up when he realised they weren’t interested in learning about true buddhism.

[upu2]

On 2/22/2021 at 3:27 AM, PatOngo said:

 

My suggestion, don't even try to understand, it's a cultural thing way beyond the farang comprehension! 

Way beyond most Thai's comprehension as well

[gunderhill]

2 hours ago, upu2 said:

Way beyond most Thai's comprehension as well

It's really very  simple it's  about MONEY nothing more, ie  greed!

Good  time to  build a  house 1. when it's not  snowing concrete doesn't  like freezing temps, 2. or  monsoon concrete doesn't  like extra  water  added, anything else is BS.

[upu2]

7 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

It's really very  simple it's  about MONEY nothing more, ie  greed!

Good  time to  build a  house 1. when it's not  snowing concrete doesn't  like freezing temps, 2. or  monsoon concrete doesn't  like extra  water  added, anything else is BS.

I dont think you get a lot of snow in Thailand

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, upu2 said:

I dont think you get a lot of snow in Thailand

I remember reading the roof of the Hualamphong railway station was the same design as one in Europe, which could withstand four feet of snow on the roof. Better safe than sorry.

[elgenon]

True Buddhism is a philosophy not a religion. Buddha said to question what he says. Have you ever heard a person of authority in a religion say that?

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, elgenon said:

True Buddhism is a philosophy not a religion. Buddha said to question what he says. Have you ever heard a person of authority in a religion say that?

Absolutely. Rather like turkeys voting for Christmas.

[elgenon]

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Absolutely. Rather like turkeys voting for Christmas.

The Rolling Stones song "Under My Thumb" comes to mind.

[1FinickyOne]

On 2/22/2021 at 9:47 AM, bluesofa said:

Hence it being a 'moveable feast' so to speak.

yeah, like that.. sure.

[1FinickyOne]

11 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

he said, maybe so, but it's what the "people" want. 

sort of a placebo for the soul, as I always thought...

 

if you go to the monk for your auspicious day to buy a car, then you have done your part, the responsibility of an accident or whatever is out of your hands... 

 

I see many parts of the culture that are designed to make people feel good.. 

[KannikaP]

I find it crazy that Thais celebrate Xmas & Easter (and expect presents). Do we have Song Kran in Basingstoke?

 

The world is in 2021, so how difficult would it be to 'fix' Easter, and Ramadan (other religions are available), so the rest of the world know what's going on, and ONLY devotees to that religion take it as part of their annual holidays.

How difficult would it be to re-invent the calendar to be 13 x 28 day months? New Year would always be a long weekend, and 29th February could be added to it every 4 years.

Edited March 1, 2021 by KannikaP

[papa al]

On 2/23/2021 at 11:51 PM, sammieuk1 said:

Have you looked into 8.20 being the first tea break of the week ????

No

4:20

[bluesofa]

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I find it crazy that They celebrate Xmas & Easter (and expect presents). Do we have Song Kran in Basingstoke?

 

The world is in 2021, so how difficult would it be to 'fix' Easter, and Ramadan (other religions are available), so the rest of the world know what's going on, and ONLY devotees to that religion take it as part of their annual holidays.

How difficult would it be to re-invent the calendar to be 13 x 28 day months? New Year would always be a long weekend, and 29th February could be added to it every 4 years.

Using logic, that could be where the idea falls down.  What we need is a pope to endorse it.

It worked last time when we changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (named after pope Gregory XIII). Mind you, it took centuries for it to catch on globally.

 

Edited March 1, 2021 by bluesofa
misprit

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

sort of a placebo for the soul, as I always thought...

 

if you go to the monk for your auspicious day to buy a car, then you have done your part, the responsibility of an accident or whatever is out of your hands... 

 

I see many parts of the culture that are designed to make people feel good.. 

'the responsibility of an accident or whatever is out of your hands'

I see we can blame the high rate of traffic accidents and deaths in Thailand to buddhism  then - 'it was my fate.'

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

'the responsibility of an accident or whatever is out of your hands'

I see we can blame the high rate of traffic accidents and deaths in Thailand to buddhism  then - 'it was my fate.'

well, no, I would not extrapolate it out to blame on Buddhism...

 

they daydream a lot... I often wonder where they go... you see it when they walk around or just stand in the middle of a supermarket aisle... w/cart so nobody can pass... I see people get off escalators and look around, unsure where they are as if they have just woken up... they go someplace. I don't know where but it seems pleasantly detached, I want to go there too. Except not in my car. 

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

well, no, I would not extrapolate it out to blame on Buddhism...

 

they daydream a lot... I often wonder where they go... you see it when they walk around or just stand in the middle of a supermarket aisle... w/cart so nobody can pass... I see people get off escalators and look around, unsure where they are as if they have just woken up... they go someplace. I don't know where but it seems pleasantly detached, I want to go there too. Except not in my car. 

Well I don't know.

What about the amulets that will save the owner's life if involved in an accident?

That must surely bear responsibility for not concentrating fully on driving because they think they're invincible.

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Well I don't know.

What about the amulets that will save the owner's life if involved in an accident?

That must surely bear responsibility for not concentrating fully on driving because they think they're invincible.

if you are set and determined to find something negative, then you surely can... 

 

I would guess they find some comfort in the amulets but understand that if they drive while drunk they may have problems.. I think they know nobody lives forever...

 

wasn't there an incident w/2 guys shooting each other in Udon? was it... to decide whose amulets were stronger? People believe all sorts of things..