Lersi Thailand Forest Hermit Initiation

[rychrde]

I'm posting this in the hope that those of you with a much deeper experience of Buddhism in Thailand may have some sources of information. I don't want to repost the whole article, so please read it here:

http://thailand-village.blogspot.com/2009/...est-hermit.html

In short, last weekend I had an initiation into Lersi teachings. I can best describe it as tantric as it had all the hallmarks. Has anybody else had this in Thailand? Is it standard Theravada or is it a school apart?

Also, the main symbol seems to be of a butterfly. But the poster I'd seen at the temple also had Taoist yin-yang symbols on it. So what is this butterfly cult?

I'm having difficulty finding anything meaningful on all this online – having a host of different transliterations of Thai words doesn't help either. So am hoping the collective wisdom on TV will help.

Thanks in advance.

[archimark]

Dear Rychrde

I hope you are keeping well and having like me a great life in the "Land of Smiles"

Thank you very much I did so enjoy reading your article on the forest hermit.

I like you have become quite fascinated by the charater Lersi, but also like you have had little luck in finding out about him since I was introduced to Lersi by my girl friends uncle (Pa Noon) . Yours seems to be the only information on the internet I have come across.

I'm really not sure if this is of any help or interest to you, but I have been informed on many occasions Pa Noon is possessed by the spirit of Lersi. These possessions seem to manifest themselves in different ways eg although he is not very good at drawing when he becomes possessed he is able to draw remarkable images of Lersi. The close family are always telling me that the house he lives in next door is also possessed by the spirit of Lersi. Pa Noon is a devote Buddhist and speaks Pali Sanskrit who spends much of his life at his forest temple along with about 5 other monks including a very sweet female monk who is the one I have ever met so far in my time in Thailand.

I live in Surin, but often travel to my girl friends family village of Pakham not far from Nang Rong where Pa Noon lives and doesnt sound far from the area you mentioned in your article. Where do you live?

I also had a similar experience to you at a temple in the forest a few days ago which is festumed with images of Lersi, although not with as higher monk as you did. This all came about by the recent death of my girl friends Yay which we attended the 4 day funeral, yes you read that right 4 day long funeral ahhhhahhahahh.

As you may or not know male members of the deceased often become mini monks, shave their heads and eybrows and dress in the monks outfit at least for a couple of days or so in her honour a very sweet gesture I thought. The whole funeral was quite an experience I can tell you. After nearly everyone had finally gone home on the 4th day Pa Noon asked me if I could drive him back to the forest temple where I had taken him before which I did. On the journey he asked me that he would be honoured and it would make him very happy if I would join him and 3 young mini monks he brought along with him, in becoming a mini monk for the next 3 days and stay at the idyllic forest temple with them, I felt very honoured.

It wasn't the fact that I would have to shave and dress in the monks outfit that made me decline his sweet offer, that I didn't mind about althought heaven knows how long my eyebrows would grow after as they are long enough already, but it was the fact that I am a devote Atheist and although the whole experience would have been completely fascinating to me I felt I would be such a hypocrite and bring dishonour to his Buddhist beliefs which I have great respect for. Believe me on the journey back in the car I so nearly turned back a few time and I know I will one day kick myself for not having taken up this opportunity, but that's life and I have to reamin honest to myself and to him.

During my time together with my girfriend she has taught me how falang who fill their houses with Buddhist images are a disrespect (disrespect maybe a harsh word more like a lack of understanding) to her beliefs (she wouldn't kill someone for this but you understand what I mean) and therefore I have also become very sensitive to doing everything I can not to disrespect this religion. Eventhough I do not share their beliefs I have found that Thai's respect me for my beliefs which works just fine for me. This extends it's self to the few monks I have met, sat and talked to, which like you I have found a very rewarding and sometime beautiful experience in their company. Unlike Christians and Muslims eg who are never happy until you believe what they do, hence all the troubles in the world today and throughout history.

I very much hope you get this messge and if you would like to discuss this in further detail please do not hesitate to contact me as I would be delighted to hear from you. Thank you once again for your interesting article.

Kindest regards Mark Butcher from Surin.

[Brucenkhamen]

From what little I know they are hindu in origin from the tradition of hermits and ascetics in India.

Written ฤๅษี it's normally pronounced rue si and there is a Thai letter of the alphabet named after them.

This one's even on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruusii-Heritage/88366934151?sk=events#!/pages/Ruusii-Heritage/88366934151?sk=wall

[sabaijai]

It sounds like the 'butterfly' created by two facing sarika (Indian mynah bird), a popular motif in Thai amulet lore.

If the butterfly appeared to have two 'faces' in the centre, that's probably what it is.

http://www.thailandamulets.com/information.php?id=96&type=1

[sabaijai]

Just noticed OP is two years old or more, and the text appears to come from here:

http://www.xomba.com/thailands_forest_hermit_tradition_and_my_lersi_initiation