What Is Buddhism?

[phetaroi]

The problem with the 'combined Sangha' idea is that it's simply a concept. One cannot locate and question this 'combined Sangha,' so its collective wisdom is essentially inaccessible to us. What we do have is the Tipitaka (or other scripture, according to your school of Buddhsm) and our own minds.

First, I don't agree with you. Can you go question the King? No, yet he exists. Can you go question the Thai Parliament? No, yet it exists. The Sangha Supreme Council does control Buddhism in Thailand.

Second, according to you, it's every man for himself, because that's what totally individualized interpretation of the Dhamma leads to.

[sabaijai]

You can in fact identify the workplaces of the King and the Supreme Sangha Council and questions, complaints and so on can be lodged.

Please show us the workplace of the 'combined Sangha' or even a press release or announcement they have made.

[phetaroi]

You can in fact identify the workplaces of the King and the Supreme Sangha Council and questions, complaints and so on can be lodged.

Please show us the workplace of the 'combined Sangha' or even a press release or announcement they have made.

I think I confused you with my wording, yet you made my point for me. You can, as you said, identify the workplaces of the Supremem Sangha Council and ask questions and lodge complaints. You said it.

When I referred to the "combined Sangha", I was simply trying to differentiate that from an individual monk or even an individual temple. I am also trying to differentiate from temporary monks and those who have a long-term (whatever long-term is) committment.

[Datsun240Z]

buddhisme, like communism and democracy, is a great idea in theory.

in the real world however...

thailand is one of the most buddhist countries in the world but still people are (much) more materialistic than in the west.

money is everything.

perhaps they follow a different buddha?

money is everything in the west to, but in poor countries which are in development, it's plays a bigger role, and is still seen as the most important.

[bankei]

Wrong assumption in the OP.

Buddhism in Thailand is not a religion.

A religion assumes the worship of a deity or the belief in the supernatural. Buddhism in Thailand is simply a secular philosophy which is atheistic. It has the trappings of religion (temples, ceremonies, etc.), but at its core is the opposite of religion. As a belief system, it's really closer to the secular "isms" (humanism, hedonism, materialism, etc.)

Perhaps it's this absence of a deity which results in its adherents so weakly following the precepts of Buddha. There is no real accountability in daily life for one's actions. Only social pressure. Hence, Thailand has a deplorable reputation for respect for the individual, fair and empathetic treatment of others (especially strangers), corruption at all levels, and many more core problems which reflect the reality of skewed values in the practice of daily life.

Thai Buddhism is even facing a crisis of values and practice at its core--the behavior and morality of its monkhood. Corruption and malpractice within the temple system is rife. Thai social amorality has influenced Thai Buddhism, not the other way around.

To compound the situation of weak accountability for one's actions, there is the system of "making merit" where you can wipe your dirty slate clean at any time by tossing a few baht in a coffer or feeding breakfast to the monks. This is an additional unfortunate facade of a religious system--indulgences of the middle ages--which also contributed to rampant corruption and social injustice in the society of that time.

Thailand is politically on the brink of becoming a failed state. Societal security is hanging by a thread given the brewing war between social classes. Thai Buddhism is not holding it together. Rather it's contributing to the fragility of the entire social/political system.

I disagree. Buddhism in Thailand is a religion. There are 'priests' and temples everwhere. The priests do rituals for the material and spiritual benefit of the laity. Their are also gods. Look at all the 'hindu' gods worshipped by Buddhists. Nowdays there is also Kwan-yin too. Not to mention the worship ofBuddha statues. There is one Buddha statue in Ayyuthaya where worshipers can obtain luck for business. What about all the offerings done to statues. very similar to Brahmanism. very idolstrous I think. Then there is the local spirits too. Worshiped by most Thai buddhists.

Some Thai's conception of the Buddha is very similar to that of some christian concepts of god. The Buddha can grant wishes - success in exams, or help others or do any sort of miracles.

Buddhism in Thailand is very different to the western imagination of Buddhism - and very different to what the Buddha taught. I would even say Buddhism isn't the teachings of the Buddha - no more than Christianity is the teaching of the Christ. The Buddha wasn't a Buddhist.