พุทธ, พราหมณ์ และผี

[DavidHouston]

Friends,

From a magazine:

พูดกันมานานแล้วว่า ศาสนาในเมืองไทยนั้นเป็นผลมาจาก "การผสมกลมกลืน" ระหว่างพุทธ, พราหมณ์ และผี

Can we render this as follows?:

"We have long believed that religion in Thailand is a harmonious blend of Buddhism, Brahmanism [Hinduism], and polytheism."

That is, does "ผี" in this context carry the meaning of polytheism? Thanks.

[mikenyork]

I think I would say "animism" bcause polytheism is the belief in multiple gods. ผี are not gods.

[SoftWater]

For the sake of parallelism you might have to coin a word like 'spiritism', but I think the sense seems clear enough: 'beleif in spirits'. I think we all know what this means in a Thai context, though its difficult to capture in a single English word.

I'm not sure that 'animism' will do, as this word has slightly different connoations in different contexts, but I'd agree with mikenyork that 'polytheism' is not the right word.

[Parvis]

"We have long believed that religion in Thailand is a harmonious blend of Buddhism, Brahmanism [Hinduism], and polytheism."

I have always considered Buddhism - a "method of applied psychology" rather than "religion". Could someone make a comment on this - pro or con ?

[Indra]

"We have long believed that religion in Thailand is a harmonious blend of Buddhism, Brahmanism [Hinduism], and polytheism."

I have always considered Buddhism - a "method of applied psychology" rather than "religion". Could someone make a comment on this - pro or con ?

I think that you put your posting in the wrong place.

This forum is strictly about Thai language discussion.

If you want to discuss about Buddhism, you should go to http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Buddhism-f42.html

[farangnahrak]

What if ผี was inferring to 'superstition'?

I've never met a Thai that didn't believe in ghosts . . .