Buddhist Tattoos

[JimmyTheMook]

Without a doubt Spencer Littlewoods site http://www.sak-yant.com/ is the best and most accurate resource on information about the traditional Thai tattoo process.

[JimmyTheMook]

These are a few 'Mai Sak' tattoo rods from my collection that have what could be considered removable needles.

The whole staff breaks down and the tip portion is removable.

I have noticed that many Ajarns today are using a thiner type rod and finer tip and it reflects on the quality of the tattoo's produced.

Edited May 14, 2008 by JimmyTheMook

[sabaijai]

These are a few 'Mai Sak' tattoo rods from my collection that have what could be considered removable needles.

The whole staff breaks down and the tip portion is removable.

I have noticed that many Ajarns today are using a thiner type rod and finer tip and it reflects on the quality of the tattoo's produced.

Yes that's similar to what I've seen at Aj Noo's. The tips can be removed and replaced at will.

It's easy to scoff at Aj Noo based on his association with celebrities, the high prices he charges, and the fact that he does very little of the work himself, rather has his disciples do it. On the other hand his knowledge of designs and the development of his craft are nonetheless impressive. Many chaang sak and Buddhist monks come to consult with him and he appear to share his knowledge freely.

If you believe that these things have power, you have to give respect to that aspect of anyone's craft, whatever the market prices are for that master's work. The Thais I know who are into sak yan consider Aj Noo's sak yan to be very powerful.

I personally am on the fence when it comes to belief in sak yan. My Buddhist training says they mean nothing, other than the psychological effects they may produce. But if you do believe in sak yan, then you can't dismiss a master based solely on what he charges. And if you don't, then all the masters who profit from sak yan, whether they charge 1000 baht or 100,000 baht, are hucksters.

I brought a Thai friend along to Aj Noo's once, a Thammasat-educated lawyer who himself has no sak yan and no interest in getting any. As we were leaving, I expressed a measure of friendly disgust about the pricing, and my friend admonished me saying it was (supernaturally) dangerous to speak disrespectfully about Aj Noo. I assumed he meant that Aj Noo wouldn't like it and might take spiritual revenge, but the friend said no, the spirits who guard Aj Noo might take offense and bring bad fortune.

That reminded me that the tradition is basically animist, not Buddhist, despite the use of Buddhist symbols for some of the work.

[teachmesakyantCA]

sawadeca hello everyone !! how are you all?? well i hope , i am well also. i am planning to go to thailand as soon as possible this year to get my first sakyants. i would like to get the old man begger turned millionaire, if any one has any info on this sak yant please share your knowledge as i am still very unaware of many sakyants full descriptions. i also want a sakyant that will make my be in great shape (not fat, healthy, fit), and a sakyant that will make me the best terms.. good in bed !! but i don't know if there is such a sakyant?? last but not least a sak yant that gives me much power/energy. i'm wondering if i should get the sakyant done from a monk at the famous wat bang phra, or the more expensive ajarn noo? when i was younger my mother told me story of hanuman, and now i have seen there are hanuman sakyants i am strangly attractracted to having one of these hanuman sakyants but i have no knowledge of what the many different hanuman sakyants are capable of doing. there are many other god like sakyants that are attractive to me. but of course i don't know what they are either. i was looking at spencer's sakyant site to find his address to ask him these same questions but i cannot find his email address on his site, or maybe ask him to see me when i go to thailand to help translate. so thankyou for reading, and if anyone has answers to my questions or added knowledge that i am seeking, please reply. goodbye

[teachmesakyantCA]

ok i have no response yet but more questions when the master does a sakyant. the master does the tattoo then the blessing for the tattoo, right? so if the magic is in the blessing then what is the need for the tattoo? what day is the sakyant festival being held next year at wat bang phra? sabaijai you mentioned before the "gecko sexual union" what does that mean, does it mean the person wearing the tattoo will have a life partner?

[camerata]

when the master does a sakyant. the master does the tattoo then the blessing for the tattoo, right? so if the magic is in the blessing then what is the need for the tattoo?

The real magic is inside the mind. If one practises the Dhamma, there is no need for blessings or tattoos... or anything else that is external to the mind.

[teachmesakyantCA]

i agree my mind & everyone elses mind is special, & i will practise training my mind. but for now i want more.

[j0hnga1t]

The Yants are cool and are a great reminder of what your practice.  I'm going to Bangkok tomorrow so I'm totally excited !!!!!  No yants this trip  my gf would kill me.....

[sabaijai]

so if the magic is in the blessing then what is the need for the tattoo?

They say the blessing endows the sak yan with magic, which is carried with the wearer. But only if he/she holds the 5 Buddhist precepts, according to most chang sak In fact if there's any Buddhist value at all to the sak yan tradition, that would probably be it

what day is the sakyant festival being held next year at wat bang phra? sabaijai you mentioned before the "gecko sexual union" what does that mean, does it mean the person wearing the tattoo will have a life partner?

Google for Wat Bang Phra Tattoo Festival and you can probably find the dates for next year, if they've been set that is.

The intertwined geckos that Aj Noo and company do are for attracting the opposite sex .... endlessly. A musician friend who got one told me it works too well, and he now wants it removed

But Camerata is right, much better to rely on your own resources than magic of any kind. My interest in the sak yan tradition relates to art and culture, not Buddhism.

Note on transliteration: The word is pronounced 'yan' not 'yant', ie, there's no /t/ sound at the end. If you're going to borrow the /t/ that appears in the Thai orthography (spelling) you might as well bring in the /r/ as well and write 'yantr'. Or take it a step further and use the original Pali/Sanskrit, yantra. Otherwise it's just yan in Thai (sorry, pet peeve coming out!)

[teachmesakyantCA]

sorry!! SAKYANTRA

[teachmesakyantCA]

sawadeeca. if any one knows a sakyantra can you write it on this forum please.

[teachmesakyantCA]

sawadee ca, hello. if i cannot decide which sakyantra to get, can the master determine which is the best sakyantra suited for me? or if i need a sakyantra at all?

[teachmesakyantCA]

when i travel to thailand, what is the best route to wat bang phra? stay at bangkok and go to wat bang phra by tuk tuk, how much would a tuk tuk cost to go to wat bang phra? which area of bangkok is closest to wat bang phra? is wat bang phra even in bangkok?

[teachmesakyantCA]

has anyone been to the ajarn on spencer littlewoods site, ajarn thoy? all the celebrities go to ajarn noo, i wonder why?? do you know why???

[sabaijai]

has anyone been to the ajarn on spencer littlewoods site, ajarn thoy? all the celebrities go to ajarn noo, i wonder why?? do you know why???

You'd have to poll all of Aj Noo's customers to get that answer but I would guess that

1) They like his team's work (aesthetics).

2) They believe in his personal power.

3) They're copying their friends and/or celebrities who go.

Some proportion of those three reasons would cover it, I think. If you look at it as art - as I do - then you might say Aj Noo is the Picasso of Thai sak yan, at the moment. Picasso had/has plenty of detractors, too, particularly among other artists . Picasso's market has/had all of these three as well.

[teachmesakyantCA]

i read about this man who after getting a sakyantra felt very confident and fearless and joined the army and went to get another sakyantra to protect from bullets before he went to war, but before he had a sakyantra he had no intention of joining the army. i am scared because i don't have any sakyantra now but when i get one i don't want to end up like that guy.

[teachmesakyantCA]

i am scared to get the sakyantra that protects against weapons incase of emergency and i need to see a doctor but the doctor cannot cut through my skin or if i need a simple blood test but the needle won't go through my skin???!!!!

[camerata]

i am scared to get the sakyantra that protects against weapons incase of emergency and i need to see a doctor but the doctor cannot cut through my skin or if i need a simple blood test but the needle won't go through my skin???!!!!

Don't worry. I'm sure the sakyantra has the power to distinguish between a friendly piercing of the skin and an unfriendly piercing. Otherwise how would anyone ever get a second sakyantra, and how come there's no video clip on Youtube showing skin that can't be pierced?

[teachmesakyantCA]

yes that sounds true

[teachmesakyantCA]

i cannot speak thai so when i get a sakyantra what am i going to do??? any ideas??

[teachmesakyantCA]

sabaijai you say ajrn noo is the picasso of sakyantra, are you saying ajarn noo is the best artist around doing sakyantra.

if after i get a sakyantra i want it removed because it is too powwrful or some reason, is it possible to get sakyantra's removed?

[teachmesakyantCA]

when i have a sakyantra, what are the rules?

[INTJ]

The first rule would be don't make so many consecutive posts in the same thread

[Xangsamhua]

Why, in a forum on Buddhism, is there such a big thread on tattoos?

Without meaning to be aggressive, what have tattoos to do with Buddhism?

I haven't read much of the thread, so may have missed the point, but what I've seen seems to be talking more about magic than dharma.

[teachmesakyantCA]

this thread is sakyantra and their meanings as in tattoo magic

& my bad

[j0hnga1t]

Wat Bang Phra is about 50 kilometers outside of Bangkok.  You should rent a car and driver for the day.  Mine cost 1,600 baht.  Met me at the hotel drove me out there then drove me back.....Get there in the morning...AND why not let the monk choose a tattoo for ya.  He is a holy man and should be able to discern what you are lacking at the moment.....

[teachmesakyantCA]

j0hnga1t, thanks for the support. from sara

[TuckerMcG]

Wow that's a beautiful tattoo. My family and I are thinking of going to Thailand sometime in the near future and I am definitely interested in visiting Wat Bang Phra and getting a tattoo. I have only recently started studying Buddhism (part of me wanting to go to Thailand is to learn more) and am afraid that if I go to such a spiritual place that I might do something taboo. Is there anything I should be careful not to do while getting this done? Also how did you go about picking that particular tattoo? I doubt by the time that I get there that I will have enough knowledge to simply look at different symbols and know their meanings and I definitely don't want to pull a Britney Spears and get something like this without knowing what it really means lol. Thanks for your help

Here is a pic of my Yant

I received it in October from Wat Bang Phra. I was staying in BKK at the time and rented a car and driver for the day (1,600 baht). I arrived at the temple in the morning which is recommended in order to beat the crowds. Also go on a weekday if you can because it is less crowded than weekends. When I got there, there were three people being worked on (the monk tattoos one person while the other two people hold the skin taunt for him and then they rotate) and three people waiting (including me). I purchased the offerings for the monk at the temple (a pack of cigarettes, a flower and pack of inscents, no more that 100 baht, then you have to also put 25 baht in the offering plate). They have a scroll on the wall with the tattoos they offer, so you can choose. Though if you are adventurous, you can let the monk choose for you.....The needles they use are soaked in alcohol. Anyway, while I was waiting for my turn (I was in the next group of three), the monk went to lunch. After he returned around 1230-100, there were about 12 people waiting. Everyone was nice. I thought I would be squeezed out being the only foreigner, but a thai guy helped me. I had my girlfriend with me, but she went roaming around the temple and didn't get back in time to translate for me BUT luckily she spoke with the thai guy who helped me and explained what I was looking for.

It was VERY painful, but then again, it was my first tattoo. I'm happy with it. They don't offer any ointment or gauze or saran wrap so bring your own. I had my gf put some neosporin on it and some gauze. It didn't bleed much.

I was tired afterwards for a few weeks. My gf spoke with the monk at her temple and he said that in a prior life I was a Chinese monk and reached a high spriritual level and that the tattoo I received was not at my level and was draining my energy....very interesting.....but that's another story....

[j0hnga1t]

TuckerMcG,

If you feel adventurous, have the monk choose a tattoo for you. For me, when I saw the tattoo on the internet, I felt drawn to it without knowing what it meant and just decided to get it. Check out www.sak-yant.com.

Go early in the morning. If you don't speak Thai, have the driver (if you get one), translate for you. On the temple grounds they sell offerings for the monks. You buy one pack of smokes, one bundle of candles and a flower. They will give it to you and I think it's about 80 baht or so (but don't quote me on that) When you get into the room (take your shoes off), there is a silver or gold color plate on the floor in front of the monk put your offerings there plus 30-50 baht (I can't remember). Someone told me that the monks like American menthol cigarettes like Marlboro or Newport. Get a couple of packs if you are in the US and give it to them (put it in the offering plate with the offerings from others). When the monk is ready to accept your offerings, he will say a pray in front of the bowl, you must (and I'm sure others will too) bow down on your knees and touch the bowl. After this, the tattooing begins. It is done in groups of three. One person sits with their shirt off (tattoos are only done above the waist/respect for the buddha). The other two people hold the tattoo-ee's skin flat while the monk does his thing. The tattoo-ee sits cross-legged holding one of those Thai triangular pillows again their chest. It is painful and you know he's done once he starts to chant/says a prayer then blows on it. I think you bow to him 3 times while on your knees when it's your turn and after his is done, you face him and while kneeling, bow three times to him. When you approach him, you do so on your knees or couching. You want to keep your head below his.

Mornings are good because the needles will be fresh. When I was there in Oct 2007, I saw that they were soaking in rubbing alcohol (has a blue tint in thailand). Also in the morning, there isn't much of a crowd (esp on the weekday). The monk takes lunch around 11am

When you are facing the monk (while waiting), there is a huge scroll on the wall, this has samples of the tattoos they do. I think you should first check out the Sak-yant website I referenced above. It's the best website around on this subject. Also, consider getting one from Spencer Littlewood (the website is his). He practices the art of Sak-Yant and a taxicab ride away from the Mo-Chit BTS station. Plus he speak English.

Good luck to you.

[TuckerMcG]

j0hnga1t,

Thanks so much for all the information. I couldn't have asked for a better explanation. It's a lot to remember but having it in writing definitely helps. Thanks again for being so helpful. I really appreciate it

Edited June 26, 2008 by TuckerMcG