Lost In Translation

[thebeatlessuck]

I am 40. I have a 36 year old female friend (only a friend now, but a priceless friend) in Thailand. She has a Matayom 6 education. She has two daughters, 16 and 15, by an ex-husband (Thai). She has an English boyfriend/husband? (57), whom she met in Pattaya. Yes she worked there. Yes, she is from Isaan.

I am American and knew her in Pattaya before and after she met the English man. She thought I was the economic ticket. I was not. She and I had a nice, intermittent one year relationship. I have been to her village five times. He has been to her village more. I still have my life savings intact. He does not. He is aware of my place in her life. I have a Philo 101 knowledge of Buddhism (i.e. I don't understand any of it). She and I are still in contact, and he is aware of this. I wish them only the best of luck in their life's journey.

He had some money, but it appears it has been put into a new home for her mother in the village, land for her, a second food shop for her, a food shop and used auto for her sister and various other family expenses. He does not have enough money for a long stay visa. She nets about 30,000 baht monthly from the food shops.

All of this is prelude to my questions. I offer the brief thumbnail sketch to outline the economic parameters in which the rites occur. I hope someone on the board has the experience and insight to answer my questions. Truly, they are Buddha related, but, also, they are specific to place and time and economic reality.

I am passingly familiar with Buddhist Lent. I have seen it transliterated as Ow-paansaa, or Kao-paansaa. My generic understanding is that one gives up something for a three month period. My friend abstains from meat, cheese and fish. She is a very devout Buddhist in as much as I understand Buddhism.

She is now preparing for what she calls a Kah-Teen (as near as I can pronounce). She tells me that it is necessary to perform the Kah-Teen within 30 days of Ow-paansaa, or Kao-paansaa. The Kah-Teen (as she explains it) is akin to a blessing of a home, and a chance to honor Buddha and offer Buddha to the surrounding citizenry.

My questions are ....What does all this mean? Both in a Buddhist context, and a local, small (200 people small) village context? Do the circumstances of her economic and social position influence the legitimacy of the ceremony/rite?

Any help you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. I must admit that every time I tried to dig deep in my relationship with her I came up lacking. My college degree versus her life degree was no contest. She won hands down. In another life she will have an Ivy League degree (and the incumbent scorn that accompanies same) and I will be picking fruit.

Thanks for any insight.

[RDN]

.........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know the answers to all your questions and could tell you in absolute detail exactly what you want to know. The problem is I love the Beatles. So, som nam naa!

[Abandon]

Lost in Translation

When an elderly catholic scholar encountered some original scriptures he looked through to see if there were any mistakes made in the copies, which would make all following copies wrong also.

He was found in tears several days later.

Turns out the Good Lord said that the monks should celibrate, not celibate.

lost in translation